Big relief to Imran Khan from Islamabad High Court, orders release in Toshakhana case

Former Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan has got a big relief from the Islamabad High Court. The Islamabad High Court overturned the lower court’s decision and granted him bail. The division bench of Chief Justice Aamir Farooq and Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri gave this much-awaited verdict. The division bench had reserved its order on Monday after hearing the arguments of both the parties on Imran’s petition challenging the lower court’s decision in the case. Significantly, a sessions court in Islamabad had sentenced Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Party President Imran Khan to three years in prison on August 5 in the Toshakhana corruption case.

Significantly, the Islamabad High Court has given its verdict on Tuesday on the request of former Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan to suspend the three-year jail sentence in the Toshakhana corruption case. Under which Imran Khan has got bail. Let me tell you, the division bench of Chief Justice Aamir Farooq and Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri had reserved its decision on the petition on Monday after hearing the arguments of both the sides. The division bench had later said that the verdict would be pronounced on Tuesday at 11 am. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Party (PTI) chairman Imran Khan, 70, was on August 5 sentenced to three years in jail by a sessions court in Islamabad in the Toshakhana corruption case.

Ban on contesting elections!

The cricketer-turned-politician was convicted of illegally selling state gifts received by him and his family during his prime ministership between 2018 and 2022. The PTI chief was also barred from participating in political activities for the next five years, barring him from contesting the upcoming elections. Imran has challenged the decision of the lower court in the Islamabad High Court.

Imran’s lawyer Latif Khosa completed his arguments against his conviction on Thursday, insisting that the verdict was delivered in haste and was riddled with errors. He urged the court to set aside the verdict, but the defense sought more time to complete its arguments. Many believe that after the Supreme Court pointed out several flaws in the order convicting Imran, the decision of the High Court may come in favor of the former Prime Minister.

what is toshakhana case

The Toshakhana is a department under the Cabinet Division, where gifts given to rulers and government officials by other heads of government and foreign dignitaries are kept. If the ruler or the government official wants to keep that gift privately, then he has to pay an amount equal to the value of that gift. Which will be decided through auction. Whatever amount is received in the auction, it is deposited in the national treasury. In this episode, after becoming the Prime Minister of Pakistan in the year 2018, Imran Khan received 58 gifts worth about Rs 14 crore during his official visits. There is an allegation against Imran Khan that he bought those expensive gifts from Toshakhana at a cheap price and sold them at an expensive price in the market.

After Imran Khan was removed from power, the ruling government raised the Toshakhana case in the National Assembly and demanded action against Imran Khan. Later, the Speaker of the Assembly ordered an inquiry against Imran Khan. Imran Khan’s parliament membership was also lost after the charges were framed.

Who is Imran Khan

Imran Ahmed Khan Niazi is the full name of former PM of Pakistan Imran Khan. He is a Pakistani politician. He is also the founder and president of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party. Imran Khan was born in 1952 in Lahore, Pakistan. Before becoming a politician, Imran Khan was a famous Pakistani cricketer, who also made the Pakistani team the world champion in the World Cup. In 2013, he entered the politics of Pakistan and contested for the post of Prime Minister of Pakistan under the flag of PTI. In the elections held in 2018, the PTI party registered a major victory and Imran Khan was accepted as the Prime Minister of Pakistan.

Courtesy of Language Input