Imran Khan’s request to have the criminal case against him in the Toshakhana corruption case halted by the trial court was denied by Pakistan’s Supreme Court for a second time on Wednesday.
The 70-year-old Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf head Khan failed to get relief in the matter involving the hiding of information of state gifts after twice petitioning the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
The hearing was held on Wednesday by a three-person top court panel under the leadership of Justice Yahya Afridi.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf: According to The Express Tribune newspaper, attorney Khawaja Haris reminded the court that the trial court had ordered the witnesses to be brought and that if they failed to do so, the right to a defense would be forfeited.
Haris informed the court, “The Islamabad High Court (IHC) took notice of four petitions but did not grant an injunction order.”
According to the newspaper, Justice Afridi encouraged the PTI chief’s attorney to “think more” about the matter.
Instead of the Supreme Court issuing orders, it would be preferable to wait for the top court’s guidance, he added.
“Your application was no longer valid, but we nonetheless considered it and gave directions. We are aware of the circumstances. Justice Afridi said, “We had anticipated that the high court would provide better directions for you.
“We already granted the relief you had requested (at the previous hearing).” That you continued to contact the Supreme Court surprises me, he remarked.
Haris also notified the court, at the judge’s request, that the IHC is due to have its hearing on the subject on Thursday, according to the newspaper.
“Our orders had stated that the high court should hear all petitions together,” Justice Afridi added.
He suggested that the PTI leader and his legal team wait for the high court’s decision, saying, “Perhaps the relief that you are looking for from us, you will get from the IHC.”
The supreme court decided last week not to get involved in Khan’s criminal case. Instead, it requested the IHC to address the PTI chairman’s ongoing petitions.
Khan requested for a stay against the Section 342 recording of his statement in his plea to the Supreme Court on Monday.
The petition argues that the trial, which is now being heard by District and Sessions Judge Humayun Dilawar, should be put on hold until the IHC renders its ruling.
The issue relates to charges that Khan “deliberately concealed” information about gifts he kept from the Toshakhana during his tenure as prime minister, including the money from their reported sales. The Toshakhana is a storage facility for gifts given to government leaders by foreign authorities.
Khan is charged with abusing his position as prime minister from 2018 to 2022 to purchase and resell gifts that were given to the government on foreign trips and cost more than Rs 140 million (US$ 635,000).
The former prime minister was disqualified by Pakistan’s Election Commission on October 21 of last year for making “false statements and incorrect declaration” in the Toshakhana issue.
Imran Khan’s appeal to challenge the case’s maintainability was granted by a trial court in May, and the PTI leader was charged despite his denials of all the accusations of gift misreporting.
Khan appealed the trial court’s judgment to the IHC, which remanded the matter to the trial court for further consideration.
The trial court continued its proceedings against the former premier on July 8 after finding that the ECP’s petition was maintainable. The former premier then turned to the Supreme Court for help.
Khan is accused of terrorism, violence, blasphemy, corruption, and murder in more than 140 instances throughout the nation.
Khan was removed from office in April of last year after losing a vote of no confidence in him, which he said was a result of a US-led plot to assassinate him for his independent foreign policy choices on Russia, China, and Afghanistan.
