Court reserves verdict on ECP’s plea against Imran Khan in Toshkhana case

Islamabad, December 12, 2022: An Islamabad-based court Monday reserved its verdict on a petition filed by the Election Commission of Pakistan against PTI Chairman Imran Khan in the Toshakhana case.
Additional Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal heard the case today before reserving his verdict, which will be announced on December 15 at 2 pm.
On November 22, the ECP sent the Toshakhana reference to the trial court to initiate criminal proceedings against the former prime minister, following which the criminal trial of Imran Khan formally began for concealing information about the Toshakhana gifts in his nomination papers for an election contest.
During the course of hearing, the counsel of the ECP, appeared before the court and presented his arguments.
“Imran Khan said that he constructed a road with the money [acquired from] Toshakhana [gifts],” he said, adding that a prime minister has to deposit any gift they receive to the Toshakhana.
He further stated that the Toshakhana gifts could be retained after paying 20% of the gift’s price until the PTI government introduced a new law that allowed retaining the Toshakhana gifts after paying 50% of its price.
“The price of the watch was estimated at Rs85 million,” he said, adding that Khan failed to state the amount for which he sold the Toshakhana watch.
In October this year, the ECP, in its unanimous verdict, found Imran Khan involved in corrupt practices and disqualified him, ruling that the PTI chief was no more a member of the National Assembly.
The ECP had stated that the PTI chief had submitted a false affidavit and was found involved in corrupt practices under Article 63(1)(p) of the Constitution.
The ECP order read that the respondent had “intentionally and deliberately” violated the provisions contained [in] Sections 137, 167, and 173 of the Elections Act 2017, as he “has made false statements and an incorrect declaration before the commission in the statement of assets and liabilities filed by him for the year 2020-21”.
Imran Khan’s position as the Chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is also under threat as the ECP last week initiated proceedings against him in the light of disqualification in the Toshakhana case.
However, the hearing of the case, along with four other cases, has been postponed till December 20 due to the non-availability of bench members.
Previously, the five cases were scheduled to be heard by the Commission on December 13 (tomorrow).
It must be noted that a similar petition, seeking the removal of Imran Khan as Chairman of the PTI, following his disqualification, is already pending before the Lahore High Court (LHC).