PTI will challenge IHC verdict in Toshakhana case before SC

ISLAMABAD: In a setback for the disqualified Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, the PTI announced on Thursday that it plans to challenge the Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) decision in the Toshakhana case before the Supreme Court, which is scheduled for Friday.

The IHC had earlier dismissed Imran Khan’s plea seeking the suspension of the trial court’s verdict in the Toshakhana case.

The IHC’s ruling, a day before the deadline for the submission of nomination papers for the upcoming provincial and national assembly elections on February 8, 2024, maintains Imran Khan’s disqualification from contesting elections.

Imran Khan, the only prime minister in Pakistan’s history to be voted out from office, was sentenced to three years in jail on August 5 for allegedly selling state gifts during his tenure from 2018 to 2022, a charge he denies.

The PTI founder’s legal team had filed a plea in the IHC, seeking to nullify the conviction that has barred him from running for office for five years.

However, the IHC’s two-member bench, Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, ruled that Imran’s petition was not maintainable and dismissed it.

The court noted that the plea sought suspension of the sentence, citing the Election Commission of Pakistan’s notification to disqualify Imran Khan.

Imran Khan’s lawyer, Naeem Haider Panjutha, revealed that the PTI would challenge the IHC verdict in the Supreme Court.

Senior PTI leader Latif Khosa, Imran’s lawyer, criticized the lower court’s conviction, calling it a “jurisdictional incapacity” and labeled the order “void.” Khosa alleged bias on the part of IHC CJ Farooq and emphasized the importance of ensuring political stability for economic stability.

The development adds uncertainty to the political landscape, with the PTI expressing concerns about the credibility of the upcoming elections.