Imran approaches IHC seeking suspension of trial court verdict in Toshakhana case

ISLAMABAD, Oct 5: PTI Chairman Imran Khan on Thursday approached the Islamabad High Court (IHC) seeking suspension of the trial court verdict in the Toshakhana case.

The move comes more than a month after the IHC had suspended Imran's three-year sentence in the Toshakhana case. On August 5, a trial court in Islamabad had found the PTI chief guilty of "corrupt practices" in a case pertaining to concealing details of state gifts and sentenced him to three years in prison.

While Additional District and Sessions Judge Humayun Dilawar had ordered the capital police chief to arrest Imran, he was instead arrested by the Punjab police, who took him to the Attock district jail. The Supreme Court had later acknowledged "procedural defects" in Imran's conviction by the trial court.
After his sentence in the Toshakhana case was suspended by the IHC, the government had detained the PTI chief in the cipher case. He has since remained behind bars on judicial remand, which has been extended until October 10.

On September 26, Imran was shifted to Adiala jail from Attock jail following on the directives issued by the IHC. Last weekend, the police had ramped up security in the vicinity of the Adiala jail by deploying elite commandos and setting up additional security pickets to ensure foolproof measures.

Today, Imran, through senior lawyer Sardar Latif Khosa, moved the IHC against the Toshakhana verdict under section 561-A (saving of inherent power of high court) of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

The petition's title stated that it sought "rectification of the order dated August 28 to the extent of suspending the operation of the impugned order along with the sentence as verbally prayed by the learned counsel for the petitioner before this honourable court at the time of arguments".

It urged the court to rectify the "omission of not recording the contention of the learned counsel for the petitioner with regard to the suspension" of the Toshakhana judgment of August 5.

It further requested the IHC that the operation of the same order be "suspended/stayed till final decision of the appeal". The plea also sought permission to make the state a respondent in the memo of appeal.

"Any other direction or relief which this honourable court deems fit and proper in the indication of grievances aforesaid may also be awarded, it added.

The petition listed the Election Commission of Pakistan as a respondent in the case and stated that during the course of the arguments, Imran's counsel, Khosa, had "specifically requested" the IHC to suspend the operation of the Toshakhana verdict as well as the sentence.    �DAWN