Imran Khan challenges admissibility of ECP’s Toshakhana case,

ISLAMABAD –The hearing in the Toshakhana case will be held on Monday (today),

The court of Additional Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal of Islamabad will take up the hearing.The court summoned Imran Khan in person. The Election Commission has filed a complaint under CrPC.The court issued a non-bailable warrant for Imran Khan’s continued absence. However, the Islamabad High Court suspended the arrest warrant and ordered Imran Khan to appear and asked the lower court to take action if Imran Khan does not appear.

Meanwhle,

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Monday filed a plea seeking exemption from appearance in the Toskhakhana case.

As Additional Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal resumed hearing, PTI chief’s lawyer Khawaja Haris told that his client could not appear in court due to security threats. He said Mr Khan was not deliberately the skipping hearing, adding that it was on the record that he got injured when an assassination attempt was made on his life last year.

He informed the judge that petitions had been filed in the Islamabad High Court and Lahore High Court for appearance of his client via video link. He also submitted another plea asking the court to declared the petition filed by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) seeking criminal proceedings against the PTI chief.

The court was expected to indict Imran Khan in the case today.

Khawaja Haris raised questions on the ECP complaint saying it was not filed by a competent authority. He said it was yet to see in which conditions the ECP could file a complaint. He opposed the indictment of Imran Khan in the case.

Last week, the IHC suspended the non-bailable arrest warrants issued against the former PM by Additional Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal in the graft case related to the purchase and sale of gifts from the Toshakhana till March 13.

IHC chief justice Aamer Farooq accepted Khan’s plea against judge’s decision and directed the PTI chairman to ensure that he appears or March 13 before the trial court that had issued the arrest warrants.

The former prime minister has thrice skipped indictment hearings in the district and sessions court in the case initiated at the request of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for concealing the details of gifts he retained from the Toshakhana while in the power.

Imran Khan Evades Arrest

Last Sunday, the capital police reached Mr Khan’s residence in Zaman Park on Sunday to arrest him after the sessions court issued warrants against him but he reportedly “dodged” them. A few hours later, Mr Khan, while addressing the party workers, demanded a public hearing of the case. He came hard on the coalition government for its incompetence and mismanagement.

His speech had prompted Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) to ban television channels from broadcasting his speeches and news conferences. It accused the PTI chief of attacking the state’s institutions and promoting hatred. Later, the Pemra notification was suspended by the LHC.

The Case

Last year, a reference was filed against him by lawmakers from the ruling coalition accusing him of not sharing the details of gifts he retained from Toshakhana in his assets declarations and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had concluded in October last year that the PTI chief filed false statements regarding the gifts.

The electoral watchdog subsequently, disqualified him for being dishonest and corrupt and approached the district and sessions court seeking criminal proceedings Imran Khan for allegedly misleading officials about the gifts.