ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday dismissed incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf
(PTI) founder Imran Khan’s plea seeking suspension of the trial court’s verdict in the
Toshakhana case completely, dashing his hopes to run in the upcoming general elections.
The former prime minister, who was removed from power via a parliamentary vote in April last
year, had moved the IHC for rectification of its August 28 order, by way of suspension of the
judgment on August 5 passed by the trial court.
In August, Khan was sentenced to three years in prison and a fine of Rs100,000 by Additional
District and Sessions Judge (ADSJ) Humayun Dilawar on August 5, 2023, after the judge found
Khan guilty of graft in the Toshakhana case.
He has been convicted of misusing his position as prime minister to sell state gifts worth more
than Rs140 million ($490,000) that he received from foreign dignitaries during visits abroad.
Following his conviction in the case, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) disqualified
the former PM for five years. In a notification, the electoral watchdog stated that the PTI chief
was disqualified after being found guilty of corrupt practices under Section 167 of the Elections
Act, 2017 and his sentencing for three years.
“As a consequence, Mr Imran Ahmed Khan Niazi has become disqualified under Article 63(1)
(h) of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan read with Section 232 of the
Elections Act,2017,” the notification added.
The IHC, however, on August 28, suspended the PTI supremo’s sentence awarded to him in the
Toshakhana case but his conviction and disqualification remain intact until the court decides on
the main appeal.
The PTI chief moved the IHC seeking complete suspension of the trial court’s verdict in the
case.
In a nine-page detailed verdict, a two-member bench of the IHC comprising Chief Justice
Aamer Farooq and Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri stated: “In the instant case, no specific
plea was raised and subsequent application has been made to cover up the omission. Even no
extraordinary or exceptional circumstances were mentioned in the earlier application though
they existed in the form of the notification dated 08.08.2023 when the application for
suspension of the sentence was filed.”