The Islamabad High Court (IHC) will hear a petition lodged by former Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan against the Toshakhana verdict delivered by Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADSJ) Humayun Dilawar on August 5, 2023.
A two-member bench of the IHC, comprising Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, will hear the petition on August 22.
Imran Khan’s appeal pertains to his challenge against the trial court’s verdict and subsequent sentence, with the request that the court declare the judgement as “illegal”.
The appeal seeks to nullify the conviction and sentence imposed upon Khan, arguing that they lack legal basis and authority.
Khan was sentenced to three years in prison and fined Rs100,000 after being found guilty of corruption in the Toshakhana case. This conviction led to his disqualification from public office for a five-year period.
Khan’s appeal outlines multiple grounds for overturning the conviction. The petition emphasizes that the trial court’s judgement was “totally misdirected”, and asserts that the prosecution failed to present substantial evidence against the appellant.
Furthermore, the appeal contends that the original verdict was based on “hyper-technical” and “misreading” of the law. It argues that the judge overlooked crucial details, including the valuation of assets as mentioned by Khan’s accountant in the relevant documents.
The fairness of the trial itself is also brought into question in the appeal. It alleges bias and a pre-determined verdict, with claims that the judgement was drafted prior to hearing the appellant’s defense arguments.
The petition asserts that such a process renders the verdict null and void in the eyes of the law.
The Toshakhana case revolves around the concept of the “treasure house” where government officials can retain gifts of low value and pay a reduced fee for extravagant items.
The controversy emerged when allegations surfaced that Khan had obtained gifts received during his prime ministerial tenure at minimal rates and subsequently sold them for substantial profits.
Khan, a former cricketer who transitioned into politics, was accused of misusing his power as Prime Minister from 2018 to 2022 to purchase and sell gifts of significant worth. These gifts, received during official visits abroad, were reportedly sold by Khan’s aides in Dubai.
The items included valuable wristwatches, with one “Master Graff limited edition” valued at 85 million Pakistani rupees ($385,000).
