SLAMABAD (Politico.pk) – The Supreme Court convened a three-member bench on Tuesday to hear a plea filed by the chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) challenging his prosecution in the Toshakhana case.
The court, led by Justice Yahya Afridi and comprised of Justice Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi and Justice Musarrat Hilali, will hear the former prime minister’s petition on August 2 at 11:30 a.m.
The PTI chief had filed an appeal the day before, asking the Supreme Court to halt the recording of his statement under Section 342 in the case, which was initiated after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) found him guilty of failing to declare the gifts he had received from the state depository in his asset declarations.
He stated that the proceedings should be paused till the Islamabad High Court (IHC) rules on the trial court’s jurisdiction. He referenced an earlier ruling of the Supreme Court that said that the court’s jurisdiction must be determined first.
This is the PTI chief’s second appeal to the Supreme Court in the Toshakhana issue. Last Thursday, a two-member court led by Justice Yahya Afridi denied his motion for an injunction to stay the trial in the Toshakhana case.
The panel remanded the matter to the Islamabad High Court (IHC) for reconsideration.
The former prime minister had petitioned the Supreme Court against the IHC’s instruction to the trial court, which had requested for a re-examination of the Toshakhana case’s maintainability within a week.
On May 10, Additional District and Sessions Judge Humayun Dilawar accused the PTI head in the case, dismissing objections to the case’s admissibility.
On July 4, the IHC overturned the trial court’s judgment to dismiss the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman’s appeal contesting the admissibility of the Toshakhana case.
After hearing arguments on the former prime minister’s challenge against the trial court’s finding, IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq issued the reserved verdict on June 23. The top justice remanded the case to the trial court, asking it to hear the PTI’s arguments afresh. In the Toshakhana case, he allowed the trial court seven days to rule on the PTI chairman’s request.
The plea was filed after the PTI leader was accused in the case on May 10, only two days after the high court halted criminal proceedings.
Related posts:
Shah Mehmood Qureshi of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf was taken into custody in Islamabad.
Bills to modify the Army Act and the Official Secrets Act are denied by President Alvi.
Imran Khan is relieved as the Islamabad Court of Justice rules that his prison trial in the cipher case was ‘illegal.’
Gohar claims that conspirators are attempting to steal the PTI’s election emblem.
Imran Khan contests the search warrants for the house in Zaman Park.
Imran Ismail’s release is mandated by ATC
Imran Khan issues a Rs10 billion defamation notice against the health minister in response to a contentious presser.
The court has reserved its decision on Parvez Elahi’s physical remand in corruption charges.
Qureshi was freed from prison after the LHC ruled that his arrest was unconstitutional.
Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood meet in Zaman Park.