IHC dismissed Imran Khan’s plea for suspension of Toshakhana case verdict

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday dismissed the plea of former premier Imran Khan, seeking suspension of trial court’s verdict in the Toshakhana case.

Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Amir Farooq and Justice Tariq Mahmour Jahangiri announced the reserved decision, declared the plea was not maintainable and was dismissed.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan’s counsels had argued that the court had the jurisdiction to suspend the judgement under this provision.

Islamabad High Court (IHC) in its verdict stated: “In the instant case, no specific plea was raised and subsequent application has been made to cover up the omission. Even no extraordinary or exceptional circumstances were mentioned in the earlier application though they existed in the form of the notification dated 08.08.2023 when the application for suspension of the sentence was filed.”

Toshakhana case appeal timeline

On 5 August 2023, Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADSJ) Humayun Dilawar found Imran Khan guilty in the Toshakhana case and sentenced him to three years in prison with a fine of Rs100,000.

On 8 August 2023, Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in view of trial court decision disqualified Imran Khan for five years for contesting polls.

On 29 August 2023, Islamabad High Court suspended Khan’s three-year sentence in the Toshakhana case. A month later on October 5, Imran Khan moved to IHC again, this time for suspension of the trial court verdict.

On 6 December, IHC rejected Imran Khan’s plea for withdrawing his appeal against his disqualification in the Toshakhana case. Imran Khan wanted to refile it in the Lahore High Court (LHC), IHC today announced its reserved verdict and dismissed PTI’s founder plea for suspension of Toshakhana case verdict.