The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has reconvened to hear the plea put forward by Imran Khan, the chief of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), challenging his conviction and imprisonment in the Toshakhana case. This development took place on Thursday, marking a significant moment in the ongoing legal battle.
Imran Khan, a former prime minister and the chairperson of PTI, is currently serving a three-year sentence at Attock jail following his conviction by a district court in Islamabad in connection to the Toshakhana case. He has appealed to the Supreme Court, alleging bias against him from both the IHC and the district and sessions judge.
His legal team has also raised concerns about the infringement of his rights and has requested improved facilities, including A-Class accommodations. They have further asked for Imran Khan to be relocated to Adaila jail in Rawalpindi while awaiting decisions on the appeal against his sentence.
During the previous hearing held on August 22, Imran Khan’s primary counsel, Khawaja Haris, was notably absent. Instead, other senior lawyers, including Latif Khosa, Babar Awan, Sher Afzal Marwat, and Barrister Gohar Ali, represented him before the court.
The proceedings revealed that a camera had been installed in front of Imran Khan’s barrack at the district jail, raising concerns about privacy and surveillance. The court questioned the prevention of lawyers from meeting Khan in jail, despite prior orders permitting such meetings.
Chief Justice Aamer Farooq noted the issue of facilities in the jail and assured that notice would be issued regarding Imran Khan’s request. The lawyer representing the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) requested additional time to prepare.
Khawaja Haris, representing Imran Khan, objected to the request for more time, highlighting the violation of Khan’s fundamental rights while in jail. He called for the suspension of the sentence and labeled the conviction in the Toshakhana case as illegal. Haris argued that the sessions court in Islamabad lacked jurisdiction to hear the case and questioned the authority of the ECP secretary to file a complaint against Khan.
In the midst of these legal proceedings, Imran Khan has taken the extraordinary step of approaching the Supreme Court to request the transfer of all his cases from the IHC to provincial high courts. In a petition filed on Wednesday, Khan’s legal team accused the IHC Chief Justice Farooq of displaying “deep and settled bias” against their client. The petition alleges that Khan is being held in Attock jail based on a manipulated and concocted charge that followed an unjust trial process.
The court adjourned the hearing to August 24, keeping the legal battle ongoing while Imran Khan seeks a fair resolution to his case.
