The Islamabad High Court (IHC) is set to make a crucial decision on former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s plea regarding the Toshakhana verdict today. The divisional bench, headed by IHC Chief Justice Amir Farooq, resumed the hearing on Monday to consider Imran Khan’s appeal against the three-year prison term handed down by an Islamabad district court in the gifts repository case.
Imran Khan, the chairperson of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and former premier, is presently incarcerated in Attock jail. He has challenged the verdict of the lower court and seeks annulment of the sentence. The IHC proceedings have drawn significant attention both domestically and internationally.
Present before the court were Imran Khan’s legal representative, Latif Khosa, and Amjad Pervez, counsel for the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). The case took an unexpected turn when Imran Khan appealed to the bench, led by Justice Tariq Mahmood Jahangiri, to address the issue of access to legal counsel for the former prime minister while he is in jail.
Chief Justice Amir Farooq expressed the bench’s intention to deliver a verdict on the annulment of Imran Khan’s sentence during the day’s proceedings. In response, the ECP lawyer, Amjad Pervez, sought clarification on whether he should proceed with his arguments in light of this statement by the Chief Justice.
Chief Justice Farooq reiterated his stance, stating, “I said that the plea seeking annulment of sentence will be decided on today.”
As arguments began, advocate Amjad Pervez emphasized the need to issue a notice to the public prosecutor. However, Chief Justice Farooq pointed out that the case had been filed by the federal electoral body (ECP) rather than the state, highlighting that this aspect had not been raised before the trial court. He remarked, “You did not bring this up before the trial court. This is the first time you are mentioning this.”
To support his point, Amjad Pervez referred to the case of Indian politician Rahul Gandhi, who had been sentenced to two years in a private complaint case. Pervez argued that Rahul Gandhi’s plea challenging the verdict had been dismissed by the court, drawing parallels to the current situation.
The outcome of this hearing holds significant implications for the former prime minister’s legal battles and political future. As the Islamabad High Court deliberates on Imran Khan’s plea, the nation watches closely for the court’s decision, which could reshape the political landscape in Pakistan.
