Pakistan court suspends former PM Imran Khan, wife Bushra Bibi's sentence in Toshakhana case

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday halted the punishment of Imran Khan, the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and his wife Bushra Bibi in the Toshakhana case.

During the session, a two-member bench led by Chief Justice Aamer Farooq of IHC reviewed Imran Khan's plea for suspension of sentence in the Toshakhana case. Barrister Ali Zafar represented Imran Khan during the proceedings.

In the courtroom, the bench inquired if the appeal was scheduled for the day, expressing readiness to entertain arguments for the suspension of the sentence if desired.

Ali Zafar responded by stating that instead of seeking suspension of the sentence, they intended to present arguments regarding the central appeal.

Chief Justice Aamer Farooq highlighted the constraint of time, stating that considering the ongoing Toshakhana case today, setting it for the following day wouldn't be feasible due to the scheduled arguments by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in the cypher case. Consequently, he suggested setting the Toshakhana case for a hearing after Eid-ul-Fitr.

During the session, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor acknowledged the review of the decision, labeling it as a case warranting suspension of the sentence. The court commended NAB for its stance.

Subsequently, the court suspended Imran Khan's sentence in the Tosha Khana case.

It's noteworthy that on January 31, Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi were sentenced to 14 years' imprisonment with hard labor in the Toshakhana reference by Judge Mohammad Basheer of Accountability Court Islamabad. The court also barred them from holding any public office for ten years and imposed a fine of Rs780 million.

Imran Khan subsequently filed appeals against the convictions in the Cypher, Toshakhana, and Nikah cases on February 16. The IHC issued a notice to NAB on February 26 regarding the appeals against their conviction in the Toshakhana NAB case.

On August 5, 2023, Imran Khan was found guilty of corruption in the Toshakhana case and sentenced to three years' imprisonment, leading to his arrest. However, on August 29, the Islamabad High Court ordered his release from Attock Jail. Nevertheless, he remained incarcerated under the Official Secrets Act in the cypher case. On December 6, the Islamabad High Court rejected Imran Khan's appeal against his disqualification in the Toshakhana reference.

Also read: Assam: Four killed after devastating hailstorm lashes state