Pakistan: SC dismisses Imran Khan’s plea for stay on Toshakhana case trial

Islamabad [Pakistan], August 3 (ANI): The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Wednesday rejected Imran Khan’s plea seeking a stay on the ongoing trial court proceedings in the Toshakhana case and asked the former Prime Minister to wait for the order of Islamabad High Court, The News International reported.

A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Justice Yahya Afridi and comprising Justice Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi and Justice Musarat Hilali heard Khan’s plea seeking leave to appeal under Article 185(3) of the Constitution against the Islamabad High Court (IHC) order dated July 27. Meanwhile, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf Chairman had approached the apex court for suspending the trial court proceeding against him in the Toshakhana reference till the decisions of his pending pleas, including the question of jurisdiction, before the Islamabad HC.

He had submitted before the apex court that “it was prayed to the Islamabad HC that the proceedings before the trial court may be stayed till the question of jurisdiction is decided by it. However, the HC has not even been noted in the said order, and, consequently, no stay of the proceedings of the trial court was granted by the IHC chief justice,” The News International reported.

In his petition before the apex court, Khan had appealed for a stay against the recording of his statement under Section 342.

He had urged the apex court to stop the ongoing trial before District and Sessions Judge Islamabad Humayun Dilawar till the IHC issues its final decision on his pending applications.

However, on Wednesday, the apex court rejected the plea and issued notice to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for August 4, The News International reported.

During the hearing, Justice Yahya Afridi told Imran’s counsel Khawaja Haris that the court had directed the IHC to collectively hear the pending petitions of the petitioners.

The Toshakhana reference filed by lawmakers from the ruling coalition alleges that Imran Khan did not disclose the details of the gifts he retained from the Toshakhana during his tenure as Pakistan’s Prime Minister.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) deferred the indictment of former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan in the Toshakhana case, Pakistan-based Dawn reported. Imran Khan is now expected to be charged at the next hearing on August 22.

Last year, the ECP started contempt proceedings against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan, party leader Asad Umar, former Information and Broadcasting Minister Fawad Chaudhry for allegedly using “intemperate” language against the chief election commissioner and the electoral watchdog, according to Dawn.