ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday suspended the three-year sentence of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan in Toshakhana case and ordered his immediate release.
The IHC had, on Monday, reserved the verdict on PTI Chief Imran Khan’s plea seeking suspension of sentence by the trial court headed by Additional District and Sessions Judge Humayun Dilawar in the Toshakhana case, on August 5.
The IHC two-member bench comprising Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri heard the plea. Last week, the court had adjourned the hearing till Monday on the request of the assistant counsel of ECP lawyer, Amjad Pervez and ordered the ECP counsel to present arguments next day. PTI lawyer Latif Khosa completed his arguments in the last hearing.
Earlier this month, the additional district and sessions judge had sentenced Imran Khan to three years in prison and also imposed a fine of Rs100,000. Khan challenged the verdict in the IHC for the suspension of the conviction and his release.
Toshakhana case?
Under the rules governing Toshakhana — a Persian word meaning “treasure house” — government officials can retain gifts if they have a low worth, while they must pay a reduced fee to the government for extravagant items.
The treasure house is a department under the administrative control of the Cabinet Division and stores precious gifts received by the rulers, bureaucrats, parliamentarians and officials by heads of other states and governments, and foreign dignitaries as a goodwill gesture.
The state depository has been under a microscope ever since the emergence of the allegations that Khan purchased the gifts he received as PM at throwaway prices and sold them off in the open market for staggering profits.
The gifts included watches given by a royal family, and allegedly Khan’s aides sold them in Dubai. Moreover, seven wristwatches, six made by watchmaker Rolex, and the most expensive a “Master Graff limited edition” valued at 85 million Pakistani rupees ($385,000), was also among the gifts.
A reference was forwarded by Speaker National Assembly Raja Pervez Ashraf to the Election Commission of Pakistan asking it to probe the matter.
In October last year, the ECP also declared the former prime minister guilty of corrupt practices and filed a complaint in the Islamabad’s sessions court.
