Pakistan: Imran Khan’s pre-arrest bail dismissed in Toshakhana case

Islamabad [Pakistan], December 14 (ANI): An accountability court in Islamabad dismissed the pre-arrest bail plea of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan in the Toshakhana case, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

The accountability court’s judge Muhammad Bashir announced the reserved verdict on Imran Khan’s pre-arrest bail plea in the case.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Deputy Prosecutor General Muzaffar Abbasi said that the PTI founder’s bail petition was rejected.

He said that the arrest orders would be implemented and the anti-corruption watchdog would seek the accused remand tomorrow.

In another development, Imran Khan and the party’s Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi were indicted in the cypher case again on Wednesday, Geo News reported.

The two leaders were indicted by the special court established under the Official Secrets Act 2023. Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain issued the verdict that framed charges against the PTI leaders.

Earlier on Monday, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) reserved its verdict on Khan’s plea seeking suspension of his conviction in the Toshakhana case.

The District and Sessions Court awarded a three-year jail term to the former prime minister and PTI founder in the Toshakhana criminal case.

The plea was taken up by Islamabad HC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Tariq Jahangiri. The verdict was reserved by the Islamabad High Court after hearing arguments from both sides.

On August 5, the District and Sessions Court awarded a three-year jail term to the then PTI chairman in the Toshakhana criminal case, ARY News reported.

The court also imposed 100,000 Pakistani rupee (PKR) fine on the convicted chief of the PTI. The court also declared the former prime minister ineligible to hold public office for five years.

The court, in its verdict, said that the accused had been found guilty of corrupt practises and handed the PTI chairman three-year jail sentence, ARY News reported.

“Imran Khan deliberately submitted fake details [of Toshakhana gifts] to the ECP and is found guilty of corrupt practices,” he stated.