Islamabad: A Pakistani high court Wednesday rejected former premier Imran Khan’s plea to withdraw his appeal against his disqualification in the Toshakhana corruption case, on a day when the election watchdog announced to conduct an in-prison hearing of a contempt case against him.
Khan, 71, has been in jail since August 5, when he was arrested after a conviction in the Toshakhana case. He was disqualified by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) October 21 in the case for failing to disclose the proceeds from the sale of gifts he got from the Toshakhana (state repository).
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party leader approached the Islamabad High Court Chief (IHC) against the electoral body’s decision, contending that he had purchased the assets legally; hence, there was no reason for him not to mention the gifts in his assets statement.
However, January 18, the PTI filed a fresh plea in the IHC to withdraw the petition, saying the cricketer-turned-politician wanted the Lahore High Court (LHC) to hear the matter. A separate petition had been filed in the LHC against Khan’s disqualification.
A division bench of the IHC comprising Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri announced the verdict, which was reserved September 13, rejecting Khan’s request to withdraw his petition against disqualification in the case.
In a written order, the IHC said the top election body had partially addressed arguments in the case and sought more time.
“In the interest of justice, an opportunity is allowed to the respondent to address arguments. On the next date of hearing, if the arguments are not addressed by the respondent, the matter shall be decided on the basis of available record,” it stated and adjourned the hearing till December 11.
Separately, the top election body decided to conduct the contempt case proceedings against the former premier December 13 at the high-security Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, where he is currently incarcerated.
The decision was made after the Interior Ministry refused to produce Khan before the commission during the last hearing due to security concerns. Khan survived an assassination attempt in November 2022.
The ministry also urged for an in-prison trial, and the ECP, after hearing arguments, reserved its decision on the issue November 30.
The ECP initiated contempt proceedings last year against Khan, former PTI leaders Asad Umar and Fawad Chaudhry for allegedly using “intemperate” language against the chief election commissioner and the electoral watchdog.
The proceedings have lingered for months due to various legal issues, but now the ECP has decided to indict the accused.
Khan is currently jailed at the high-security Adiala prison in Rawalpindi since September 26 in the cipher case for allegedly leaking state secrets and violating the laws of the country.
He has been facing several cases since he was ousted from power in April last year.
