Imran Khan on Thursday approached the Islamabad High Court (IHC) seeking suspension of the trial court's verdict in the Toshakhana corruption case more than a month after it suspended the jailed former prime minister's three-year sentence for concealing details of state gifts, according to a media report.
Khan, 70, was arrested on August 5, 2023, and shifted to Attock jail after a court sentenced him to three years in prison in the Toshakhana (national treasury gifts) graft case. The trial court in Islamabad had found the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief guilty of corrupt practices in the Toshakhana case.
The Supreme Court later acknowledged procedural defects in Khan's conviction by the trial court.
After his sentence in the Toshakhana case was suspended by the IHC, the government detained the PTI chief in the cipher case for allegedly violating the Official Secrets Act by disclosing a cable sent by the country's embassy in Washington last year in March. He has since remained behind bars on judicial remand, which has been extended until October 10.
On September 26, Khan was shifted to Adiala jail in Rawalpindi from Attock jail in Punjab province following the directives issued by the IHC. Last weekend, the police ramped up security in the vicinity of the Adiala jail by deploying elite commandos and setting up additional security pickets to ensure foolproof measures.
Khan, through senior lawyer Latif Khosa, on Thursday 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 Dawn newspaper reported.
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.
On August 28, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) suspended Khan's three-year sentence in the Toshakhana case.
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 the 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.