By Special Correspondent
ISLAMABAD: An Islamabad court on Tuesday granted former prime minister and chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan exemption from personal appearance on medical grounds for another time and deferred his indictment in the Tosha Khana case till February 28.
Additional Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal heard the case filed by the Election Commission of Pakistan in 2022 after it found PTI chairman guilty of corrupt practices. At the outset of Tuesday’s hearing, the legal team of the former PM once again sought exemption from personal appearance on medical grounds. Earlier, the court had fixed Feb 7 as the date for indictment but deferred the matter till today (Tuesday), accepting Imran Khan’s plea for exemption.
Tosha Khana case
The reference was filed by the Election Commission in November 2022, praying the court to proceed against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief under criminal law for allegedly misleading FBR officials about the gifts he received from foreign dignitaries during his tenure as prime minister of the country.
The Commission had requested that the PTI chief be convicted for the offences mentioned under Sections 173 (making or publishing a false statement or declaration) and 167 (corrupt practice) of the Election Act 2017. It added that per the record, the state gifts were purchased from the Tosha Khana for Rs21.5m on the basis of their assessed value, while they were valued at around Rs108m.
During the hearing Tuesday, Imran Khan’s counsel Gohar Ali Khan informed the court that some x-rays are to be conducted of the PTI chief on February 28. At this, Judge Zafar Iqbal remarked that exemption pleas are being filed since February 9 adding if this continues, the trial will prolong. To this, the counsel said the problem is of Imran Khan’s travel to Islamabad.
When the PTI head’s lawyer filed a plea seeking exemption, the Election Commission of Pakistan’s representative Saad Hasan objected to the same, saying Imran Khan appeared in the Lahore High Court a day ago. To this, the judge said that the court can direct PIMS to submit a medical report of Imran Khan’s health and asked the counsel to show the medico-legal report to ascertain the nature of his injuries. “The court has summoned Imran Khan in-person. He is being granted exemption every time,” the judge noted.
Gohar Ali Khan then apprised the court that Imran Khan went to the Lahore High Court from his Zaman Park residence in Lahore and it took time due to security adding that appearance in Islamabad Katchehri is a bit difficult.
The doctors have advised Imran Khan rest, he said and added the case is of non-serious nature. Then the court directed the authorities concerned to provide attested copies of the case record to the counsel of PTI chief. At that point, the Commission’s lawyer also dropped his objections on the exemption, asking Imran Khan to ensure his presence at the next hearing on February 28.
