Islamabad court to indict ex-PM Imran in Toshakhana case on Feb 7

ISLAMABAD, Jan 31 (SABAH): Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan will be indicted in the Toshakhana reference case on Feb 7, announced a district and sessions court in the capital city on Tuesday. 

Additional Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal was hearing the case filed by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for criminal proceedings against the PTI chief for allegedly misleading the officials about gifts he received from the foreign dignitaries during his tenure as prime minister of the country. 

At the outset of the hearing, the court fixed Feb 7 for indictment of Khan in the case. The judge also summoned the PTI chief in his personal capacity on Tuesday but he skips the hearing as he is recovering from wounds in Lahore after an assassination attempt in Wazirabad.

 Mr Khan’s lawyer said he had submitted a medical certificate of his client during the previous hearing. However, the ECP counsel pleaded the judge to issue arrest warrant for the PTI chairman for not appearing before court.

Last year, the top electoral body had sent the reference to the district and sessions court under Sections 137, 170, and 167 of the Election Act, seeking initiation of criminal proceedings against Imran Khan for incorrect declaration of assets for 2017-2018 and 2018-19. The ECP, in the petition, has called for a three-year jail term and imposing a fine on the PTI chief. 

On Dec 15, the court admitted the commission’s plea against Khan. In its three-page verdict, the court noted that prima facie, the former premier didn t mention the details of the gifts he acquired from the Toshakhana. In August last, the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) moved the ECP against Imran Khan over not filing the details of gifts he obtained from Toshakhana for Rs21.5 million.

Later in October, the ECP, in a unanimous decision, found Khan guilty of corruption and disqualified him.