The Supreme Court of Pakistan has dismissed the plea filed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman regarding his trial in the Toshakhana case. The appeal was made in response to the Islamabad High Court’s decision to send the case back to the trial court for further hearings.
A new bench, led by Justice Yahya Afridi and comprising of Justice Hasan Azhar Rizvi and Justice Musarrat Hilali, issued the ruling. The bench directed the former prime minister to await the decision of the Islamabad High Court, which is expected to be announced today.
During the hearing, Khawaja Haris, the chief lawyer for the PTI, requested the court to halt the trial court from rendering a verdict in the Toshakhana case, which was filed by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for the accused’s failure to declare gifts in his asset declarations. The ECP’s lawyer opposed the request, stating that the trial court cannot deliver a final decision until the high court provides its verdict.
Toshakhana Reference
The Toshakhana issue has become a significant point of contention in Pakistani politics since the PTI chairman was disqualified by the Election Commission of Pakistan for submitting false statements and incorrect declarations. The reference alleges that Imran Khan failed to disclose the details of gifts received from the Toshakhana during his tenure as prime minister. Lawmakers from the ruling coalition filed the reference last year, resulting in the former prime minister facing charges of corrupt practices under sections 167 and 173 of the constitution.