Zubair Qureshi Islamabad
A district and sessions court on Tuesday rejected the Election Commission of Pakistan’s petition seeking an early hearing in the Toshakhana case.
After hearing arguments from both sides, Additional Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal said the hearing in this regard would be held on April 29.
Imran Khan is facing charges of corrupt practices related to the state gift depository — the allegation he denies.
In October last year, Khan was barred from holding public office after the ECP found him guilty of unlawfully selling gifts from foreign dignitaries and heads of state.
The trial court had issued an arrest warrant for the PTI chief in March due to his continuous absence, despite summons for indictment in the case.
The order of arrest, however, was cancelled by the trial court a few days later, over PTI’s insistence that Khan’s life was in danger and he needed security. The court had adjourned the hearing till March 30 and ordered Khan to ensure his court appearance on the said date.
However, during the last hearing on March 30, the former prime minister — who was ousted from the office in April last year — was granted relief till April 29.
At the outset of Tuesday’s hearing, the court asked the lawyers about their take on the petition filed by the commission.
Imran Khan’s lawyers Khawaja Haris and Faisal Chaudhry said there was no need for an early hearing and termed it a “waste of resources”.
They argued that the hearing was adjourned till April 29 after consultation with the ECP; however, after two days the electoral body decided that it want to get this hearing fixed earlier.
