'Treasure Trove' of Troubles for Imran Khan: Pak Court Issues Summons in Toshakhana Case | Exclusive

An Islamabad court on Thursday deemed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP)’s petition for criminal proceedings against former prime minister Imran Khan in the Toshakhana case as maintainable and summoned the PTI leader in person next month.

District and Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal heard the case filed by the district election commissioner last month following the ECP’s verdict, ruling that the ex-premier was guilty of corrupt practices. The court had reserved its decision on the maintainability of the plea earlier this week. The trial will commence on January 9.

The reference was filed by the ECP last month after it had disqualified the PTI chief on October 21 in the Toshakhana reference under Article 63(1)(p) of the constitution read with sections 137 and 173 of the Elections Act, 2017.

The country’s poll panel alleged that Imran had “deliberately concealed his assets relating to Toshakhana gifts retained by him particularly in year 2018 and 2019 […] in the statements of assets and liabilities filed for the year 2017-2018 and 2018-19”.

It had requested that the PTI chief be convicted for the offences mentioned under Sections 167 (corrupt practice) and 173 (making or publishing a false statement or declaration) of the Elections Act 2017.

The reference asked the court to proceed against Imran under criminal law for allegedly misleading officials about the gifts he received from foreign dignitaries during his tenure as the prime minister.

National assembly Raja Pervaiz Ashraf speaker had sent the Toshakhana reference to the ECP for Imran Khan’s disqualification. The reference stated that Imran Khan did not reveal the specifics of gifts that he had taken from Toshakhana and the proceeds from their sale in his assets.

The reference also said that Imran had not included the expensive presents he got from friendly nations in his yearly filings to the poll panel for two years.

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