ISLAMABAD: The local court of Islamabad has decided to indict Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan in the Tosha Khana case on Tuesday.
Additional Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal announced the charge sheet on February 7 while hearing the criminal proceedings against the PTI chief.
These orders were issued by the judge after the PTI chief did not appear in the court for today’s hearing despite summons.
At the start of the hearing, the judge asked Khan’s lawyer Ali Bukhari about his client’s power of attorney.
However, the counsel for the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) argued before the court that the power of attorney could not be presented until Imran Khan appeared in person, and requested the court that the former prime minister An arrest warrant should be issued.
Meanwhile, Bukhari told the judge that he had submitted his client’s medical certificate in the previous hearing. He further said that PTI chief’s senior counsel Barrister Ali Gohar is coming to the court in five minutes.
On which the court ordered Bukhari to submit the power of attorney by today.
But the ECP’s counsel again told the court that Khan’s counsel could not submit the power of attorney until he submitted surety bonds to ensure the PTI chief’s appearance in court.
The ECP’s lawyer then requested the court to issue arrest warrant for the PTI chief in case he did not appear in the court.
However, the court rejected the request of the commission and directed the PTI chief to submit a surety bond of Rs 20,000 to ensure his attendance at the next hearing.
Disqualification
In November last year, the ECP had disqualified the former prime minister in a unanimous decision in the Toshahkhana reference and ruled that the PTI chief was no longer a member of the National Assembly.
The ECP said the PTI chief submitted a false affidavit and was found guilty of corruption under Article 63 (1) (p).
In the judgement, the ECP also declared that Khan had “made false statements and false declarations, thereby also committing the offense of corrupt practices as defined under Sections 167 and 173 of the Elections Act, 2017”.
It added that the offense was punishable under Section 174 of the Elections Act, 2017 and directed prosecution and follow-up action under Section 190(2) of the Elections Act.
The ECP sent a reference to the trial court to initiate criminal proceedings in the case.
On November 22, the trial court heard the Tosha Khana reference filed by the Election Commission against Khan for alleged involvement in corruption, which the former prime minister denies.
