ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) once again adjourned the hearing of the Toshakhana case as the ECP’s lawyer did not appear in the court today.
The court was hearing the plea of Imran Khan seeking suspension of a three-year jail term. Khan is presently in Attock Jail after the judge awarded him a jail term in the Toshakhana case.
During today’s hearing, Advocate Amjad Pervaiz, representing the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), was expected to conclude his arguments. However, due to being “extremely unwell,” Amjad Pervaiz was unable to appear in court today. Consequently, the IHC rescheduled the hearing for August 28 (Monday).
On August 5, a trial court in Islamabad found the PTI chief guilty in the case filed by the ECP, which revolved around concealing details of state gifts. The court sentenced Imran Khan to three years in jail, which resulted in his disqualification from participating in general elections for a five-year duration.
Imran Khan had filed an appeal in the high court
In response, Imran Khan had filed an appeal in the high court against his conviction. He had also approached the apex court against the IHC’s decision to refer the case back to the trial court judge who had initially convicted him.
A day prior to the recent IHC hearing, Imran’s legal counsel, Latif Khosa, had presented arguments focusing on three key aspects: Imran’s release due to the short sentence, jurisdictional defects, and improper authorization by the ECP. Khosa, along with Salman Akram Raja and Barrister Ali Gohar, presented the case from Imran’s perspective.
However, the ECP’s lawyer had opposed the suspension of the sentence, asserting that superior courts could only suspend the sentences of condemned prisoners who had already completed at least six months of imprisonment.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court had reaffirmed its decision to halt proceedings on Imran’s plea until the IHC’s verdict. The apex court also surprised many by instructing the Attorney-General for Pakistan (AGP), Mansoor Usman Awan, to submit an official report regarding Imran’s living conditions by August 28.
During the recent IHC hearing, a division bench led by IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri presided over the session. While Khosa, Salman Akram Raja, Babar Awan, and Barrister Gohar Khan were present, Advocate Amjad Pervaiz, the ECP lawyer, was absent due to his reported illness. As a result, the hearing was rescheduled for Monday, August 28.
