The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has taken a major step by suspending the sentence imposed on the former Prime Minister and Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, in the Toshakhana case. The IHC’s decision paves the way for Imran Khan’s release from Attock jail, where he has been incarcerated.
The court’s verdict comes after a thorough review of Imran Khan’s plea, in which he challenged his conviction and sentencing related to the Toshakhana case. Imran Khan was taken into custody on August 5 following a ruling by a district and sessions court in the federal capital that found him guilty of corrupt practices associated with the state gift repository. He was handed a three-year jail term as a result of the conviction.
The IHC’s division bench, consisting of Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, had conducted multiple hearings regarding Imran Khan’s petition. During these hearings, the PTI’s legal team, led by counsel Sardar Latif Khan Khosa, presented arguments focused on the suspension of the sentence, jurisdictional issues, and improper authorization.
In opposition to Imran Khan’s plea, the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) lawyer, Amjad Pervaiz, argued that the objections raised against the maintainability of the ECP’s complaint were groundless. He pointed out that the witnesses brought forward by the defense were tax consultants and did not pertain to the core issue of the case. The ECP’s accusation against the former Prime Minister revolves around allegedly submitting a false declaration of assets.
The IHC’s verdict to suspend Imran Khan’s sentence was delivered in a concise statement, with a promise to provide detailed reasons for the decision in the forthcoming comprehensive verdict. The court emphasized that the matter of suspending a sentence is within its discretion, exercised judiciously.
In anticipation of the Toshakhana case verdict, the PTI took preemptive action by filing a plea aimed at preventing Imran Khan’s arrest in any other case. The plea sought to restrain agencies such as the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), National Accountability Bureau (NAB), and the police from arresting the PTI Chief. This separate petition was filed by Imran Khan’s lawyer, Salman Safdar, in the IHC.
The latest turn of events holds significant implications for Pakistan’s political landscape, as the suspension of Imran Khan’s sentence in the Toshakhana case could influence the broader narrative surrounding his legal battles and political standing.
