ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday rejected a petition from Imran Khan, the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), seeking the suspension of his jail trial related to corruption charges involving the Toshakhana gift and £190 million embezzlement.
The decision was announced by a division bench of the IHC, comprising Chief Justice Aamir Farooq and Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, and the detailed reasons for the verdict will be provided in a written order, according to the two-member bench.
Imran Khan, the PTI founder, had contested his incarceration trial in connection with corruption references concerning the Toshakhana gift and £190 million embezzlement.
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During the previous hearing, Amjad Pervaiz, the lawyer representing the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), informed the court that Imran Khan was arrested on November 13 in the Al-Qadir Trust case. The arrest was sanctioned by the Official Secrets Act special court.
The Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) submitted a report addressing the media coverage of both the Al-Qadir Trust and Toshakhana cases.
Imran Khan's lawyer, Shoaib Shaheen, commented on the recent amendment to the NAB law, emphasizing the change in the authority for appointing judges.
He stated that the NAB submitted a request on November 13, and a summary was promptly prepared and approved by the cabinet on the same day.
Shaheen also highlighted the AGP's claim that the public had access to the court, asserting on record that accompanying lawyers were denied entry to the court.
He expressed concern that judges were dedicating their time solely to the trial in these cases, halting their other responsibilities.
On January 9, an accountability court formally charged former Prime Minister Khan and his spouse, Bushra Bibi, in the Toshakhana reference initiated by the NAB.
