LAHORE / ISLAMABAD : August 5,2023: A court on Saturday awarded 3-year term in jail to former prime minister and chairman Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) , Imran Khan, on corruption charges for not declaring his income from selling of state gifts. Imran Khan was arrested from his home in Lahore after the court order sentencing him for three years in Toshakhana case. The PTI chairman had denied the charges and says he will appeal against the decision. His counsel , Gohar Khan , in his reaction over the court decision that sentence awarded to his client was a worse case of injustice and a sheer act of unlawfulness. Mr Gohar Khan added that he was not given a chance to provide witness in defence of his client. He said he will consult with other legal team members to make a future plan regarding this case.
Asghar Mubarak adds District and Sessions Court Islamabad sentenced PTI chairman and Ex-PM to 3 years in prison and fined Rs 100,000 in the Tosha Khana case, PTI Chairman Imran Khan was arrested from Zaman Park Lahore. It was done. Police arrested Chairman PTI from his residence in Zaman Park, Police say that Imran Khan is being transferred to Kot Lakhpat Jail.
In a tweet from the official Twitter account of PTI Punjab, the news was confirmed that Imran Khan is being transferred to Kot Lakhpat Jail. Earlier, Judge Humayun Dilawar in the District and Sessions Court Islamabad in the Tosha Khana case. Rejecting the plea of inadmissibility, the Chairman PTI was sentenced to 3 years imprisonment and also imposed a fine of one lakh rupees.
The hearing of the Tosha Khana case started after 3 times of adjournment, the court while pronouncing the verdict said that the accused has been found guilty,
the accused has submitted false details to the Election Commission, the accused has been found guilty of corrupt practices, the accused has known Give false details to Election Commission.
Judge Humayun Dilawar gave a verdict that the accused is sentenced to 3 years imprisonment and a fine of one lakh under Section 174 of the Election Act. The accused is not present in the court today.
Earlier today, the hearing started at 8:30 AM, Election Commission lawyers Amjad Parvez and Saad Hasan appeared in the court, but no PTI lawyer appeared in the court.
Before the start of the hearing, a heavy police force was stationed outside the court premises and only lawyers were allowed to enter the court room, however, neither Imran Khan nor his lawyer appeared in the court during the hearing.
When no one appeared on behalf of PTI, the judge asked Amjad Pervez, the lawyer of the Election Commission, whether he would say anything. Amjad Parvez said a poem in response, “I met him even after centuries, there was no voice on my lips, my lips made him cry, who was perfect in conversation”.
Later, the court adjourned the hearing by giving time to the PTI chairman’s lawyers till 10:30.
Later, when the hearing of the case resumed, Barrister Gohar’s assistant lawyer Khalid Chaudhry appeared in the court, he said that Khawaja Haris is busy in the NAB court, Khawaja Haris is just coming.
Judge Humayun Dilawar inquired that tell the case, in which case Khawaja Haris is busy? Khalid Chaudhry replied that there is a hearing on the bail applications of Chairman PTI and Bushra Bibi in the Accountability Court.
Judge Humayun Dilawar inquired what his engagements are there, are he giving arguments on the bail applications? Khalid Chaudhry replied that Khawaja Haris is not giving arguments, he is there, he will appear here as soon as he finishes there.
Judge Humayun Dilawar inquired that if Khawaja Haris did not appear, what would be the situation? In yesterday’s order, there were clear instructions to appear, in such a situation non-bailable arrest warrants are issued, the court adjourned the hearing of the case till 12 o’clock, Khawaja Haris should be hashed at 12 o’clock otherwise the decision will be reserved. After the third break, the hearing resumed, then the lawyers of the Election Commission appeared in the court, Judge Humayun Dilawar inquired whether anyone appeared or not.
The court said that even in the fourth hearing, Khawaja Haris did not appear in the court, I reserve the decision, I will pronounce it at 12:30.
When the hearing resumed, Chairman PTI’s lawyer Khawaja Haris reached the court. Judge Humayun Dilawar, giving a safe verdict, rejected Chairman PTI’s plea regarding Tosha Khana case being inadmissible. While pronouncing the verdict, he remarked that the accused is found guilty, the accused has submitted false details to the Election Commission, the accused has been found guilty of corrupt practices, the accused has deliberately given false details to the Election Commission. Judge Humayun Dilawar gave a verdict that the accused is sentenced to 3 years imprisonment and a fine of one lakh under Section 174 of the Election Act. The accused is not present in the court today. It should be noted that the Election Commission of Pakistan had sent a reference to the criminal proceedings against Imran Khan in the Tosha Khana case, in which his non-bailable arrest warrant was issued for non-appearance. were released.
In August last year, on the request of 5 members of the National Assembly of the ruling alliance, the Speaker of the National Assembly sent the Tosha Khana reference to the Election Commission for the disqualification of former Prime Minister Imran Khan. The income received from the sale of gifts is not shown in assets. The reference filed under Article 63 of the Constitution sought the disqualification of Imran Khan under Article 62 (one) (f). During the hearing of the case, Imran Khan’s lawyer, Barrister Ali Zafar, had taken the stand that disqualification under 62 (one) (f) is only the jurisdiction of the judiciary and according to the Supreme Court, the Election Commission is not a court. In this regard, he submitted his written answer to the Election Commission on September 7.
According to the answer, 58 gifts were given to the Prime Minister and his wife between August 1, 2018 and December 31, 2021.These gifts mostly consisted of flower vases, tablecloths, decorative items, wall decorations, small carpets, wallets, perfumes, rosaries, calligraphy, frames, paperweights and pen holders, but they also included watches, pens, cufflinks, Rings, bracelets/lockets were also included.
In response, he said that among all these gifts, there were only 14 items worth more than 30 thousand rupees, which he bought by paying money according to the regular procedure.
In his reply, Imran Khan admitted that he had sold 4 gifts during his tenure as Prime Minister.
The former prime minister said that after paying Rs 21.6 crore, he got around Rs 5.8 million from the government treasury from the sale of gifts, which included a watch, cufflinks, an expensive pen and a ring. While the other 3 gifts included 4 Rolex watches.
Therefore, on October 21, 2022, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) disqualified former Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan in the Tosha Khana reference filed against him. According to the decision, Imran Khan was also de-seated from the National Assembly.
The Election Commission has disqualified Imran Khan under sub-clause ‘P’ of Clause ‘A’ of Article 63 of the Constitution of Pakistan, while his disqualification period under the said Article of the Constitution will continue till the end of the current assembly.
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