Islamabad (Web Desk): Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman on Tuesday challenged the trial court’s decision regarding maintainability of the Toshakhana case filed by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
According to details, Advocate Gohar Ali Khan submitted a petition in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on the PTI chief’s behalf and requested the court annul the trial court’s decision.
On July 8, a trial court in Islamabad had announced starting criminal proceedings against the former premier in the Toshakhana case on July 12 after rejecting his plea against the maintainability of the ECP’s complaint.
Additional Sessions Judge Humayun Dilawar announced the reserved verdict.
Earlier, the IHC annulled the sessions court's verdict wherein it had rejected former premier's petition to declare the Toshkhana case inadmissible.
During the hearing, the lawyer of the ECP, a party in the case, said that the PTI chief had been seeking exemptions from hearing and using "delaying" tactics.
"His arguments have already been presented by his legal counsel," the lawyer contested.
The judge noted that the IHC has granted such a "big relief" to the PTI chief.
At this, the PTI chief's lawyer Gohar Khan said that the high court did not provide relief; instead, it sent the matter back to the trial court for re-examination. "And I don't agree with this."
Gohar Khan added that there was still time, and the court should give its decision in due time.
The judge then rejected the plea to adjourn the hearing till Monday.
On October 21, 2022, the (ECP had disqualified the former premier in the Toshakhana reference under Article 63(1)(p) of the Constitution for making "false statements and incorrect declaration".
Imran was indicted in the Toshakhana case on May 10 when a trial court rejected his petition challenging the maintainability of the reference.
The former premier challenged the trial court's decision before the Islamabad High IHC, which sent the case back to the trial court for re-examination within a span of seven days.