Imran Khan gets exemption from court appearance in Toshakhana case

Islamabad [Pakistan], May 3 : A district and sessions court in the federal capital on Wednesday approved Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan's plea seeking exemption from personal appearance in Toshakhana case, ARY News reported.

Additional Sessions Judge Humayun Dilawar announced the ruling after hearing arguments from the former prime minister's legal team and prosecutor Amjad Parvez.

During the hearing, the PTI chief's lawyer Faisal Chaudhry filed an exemption plea and urged the court to adjourn the proceedings till May 5 as Imran's counsel could not produce arguments in the case on Wednesday due to his engagements in Supreme Court (SC).

After hearing arguments, the court approved Imran Khan's exemption plea after getting assurance from both parties of presenting arguments in the next hearing, ARY News reported.

Subsequently, the court then adjourned the proceedings till May 5.

It is pertinent to note that the Toshakhana issue became a central sticking point in the country's politics after the Election Commission of Pakistan disqualified the PTI chief for making "false statements and incorrect declaration" last month.

The judgement added that the former premier was found to have indulged in corrupt practices under sections 167 and 173 of the constitution. A criminal proceeding was initiated against him over allegedly filing a false statement.

"His disqualification under Article 63, 1(P) has been for his current parliament membership", the ECP said in its 36-page detailed judgment of the reference, ARY News reported.

"The amount in his bank account was around half of the value of the state gifts. Imran Khan was bound to declare the cash and bank details in his returns but he didn't," the ECP decision read.

"Imran Khan being declared disqualified and unseated from his National Assembly seat," the ECP said, adding, "He has been disqualified under Article 63, 1(P), over submitting a false statement and declaration".

Following this, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) launched a probe against Imran Khan in the Toshakhana case on March 9, ARY News reported.

The NAB action comes after Dubai-based businessman Umar Farooq Zahoor claimed that the PTI government sold an expensive Graff wristwatch, gifted to former premier Imran Khan by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman, for USD 2 million, worth approximately PKR 280 million at the time of sale in 2019.

Under the rules governing "Toshakhana" -a Persian word meng "treasure house" - government officials can keep gifts if they have a low worth, while they must pay a reduced fee to the government for extravagant items, The News International reported.

The Toshakhana is under a microscope ever since the emergence of the allegations that the PTI chairman bought the gifts he received as the country's prime minister at throwaway rates and sold them off in the open market for profits.

Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor