Islamabad : Pakistan's Supreme Court on Friday dismissed former Prime Minister Imran Khan's plea against trial proceedings in connection with the Toshakhana criminal complaint after he withdrew the petition, Pakistan-based Dawn reported.
On Wednesday, the Supreme Court rejected Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan's request to stay trial in the Toshakhana case being heard at an Islamabad sessions court.
However, the apex court had given relief to Imran Khan by postponing further proceedings till today so that he could approach the court again in case Islamabad High Court issued any adverse order.
On Thursday, the Islamabad High Court reserved its verdict on a set of petitions filed by Imran Khan against the Toshakhana trial and is expected to issue the said verdict today, according to Dawn's report.
The Islamabad High Court will issue the reserved verdict on Imran Khan's appeal against the trial court’s order to deny his right to produce witnesses in the case.
A three-member apex court bench, led by Justice Yahya Afridi and comprising Justice Musarrat Hilali and Justice Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi was set to hear Imran Khan's plea today, Dawn reported.
However, the bench was reconstituted today with Justice Hasan Azhar Rizvi replacing Justice Naqvi.
During the hearing, Advocate Khawaja Haris represented Imran Khan and Advocate Amjad Pervaiz appeared as the counsel for the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
At the outset of the hearing, the Supreme Court observed that the trial court could not reserve its verdict on the Toshakhana case until the Islamabad High Court announces its verdict.
Justice Afridi summoned the ECP lawyer to the rostrum, upon which Imran’s lawyer informed the court that the IHC had reserved its verdict yesterday on his client’s pleas, according to Dawn's report.
He asked, "Has the high court given a stay order?” to which Advocate Haris answered in the negative." Justice Afridi stressed that the trial court cannot announce a decision until a decision on the plea to transfer the case.
During the court proceedings, the ECP counsel said Section 528 (sessions judge may withdraw cases from assistant sessions judge) of the Code of Criminal Procedure was "clear on this matter," Dawn reported.
Justice Afridi asked Advocate Haris about the current status of the pleas pending in the Islamabad High Court. In response, he said that the Islamabad High Court (IHC) heard four pleas on Thursday and that requests were made during the arguments. During the court proceedings, he spoke about the Islamabad High Court's dismissal of the PTI chairman's witnesses in the Toshakhana case trial.
While dismissing the plea, the Supreme Court said that the application filed to request the transfer of the case to another court was underway in the Islamabad High Court. The apex court hoped that the trial and the Islamabad High Court will make decisions according to the law, the report said.
The Toshakhana case registered by ruling party lawmakers is based on a criminal complaint filed by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), as per the Dawn report. The case alleges that Imran Khan had “deliberately concealed” the details regarding the gifts he retained from the Toshaskhana during his time as the prime minister and proceeds from their reported sales.
As per the Toshakhana rules, gifts and other such materials received by persons to whom these rules are applicable shall be reported to the Cabinet Division. Notably, PTI Chairman Imran Khan has faced a number of legal cases over his retention of gifts. He has also been disqualified by the electoral body over the issue. (ANI)
