Islamabad (Staff Report/Agencies): Additional Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal on Tuesday announced to indict Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan in Toshakhana case.
The court issued the order after the PTI chief failed to appear before the court for today’s hearing despite his summoning.
At the outset of the hearing, the judge inquired Khan’s counsel Ali Bukhari about his client’s power of attorney. Bukhari informed the court that they had submitted the medical certificate of their client in the last hearing.
However, the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) lawyer contended before the court that power of attorney cannot be submitted till Imran Khan appears in person, and urged the court to issue arrest warrants for the former prime minister.
In November of last year, the disqualified the former prime minister and ruled that the PTI chief was no more a member of the National Assembly. The commission stated that the PTI chief had submitted a false affidavit and was found involved in corrupt practices under Article 63(1)(p).
In the verdict, ECP also declared that Khan had made “false statements and incorrect declarations, therefore he has also committed the offence of corrupt practices defined under Sections 167 and 173 of the Elections Act, 2017”.
It added that the offence was, punishable under Section 174 of the Elections Act, 2017 and directed legal proceedings and follow-up action under Section 190(2) of the Elections Act.
The ECP had also sent a reference to a trial court to begin criminal proceedings in the case.
On November 22, the trial court took up the Toshakhana reference filed by the ECP against Khan.
