The appeal of former prime minister Imran Khan’s conviction in the Toshakhana—gift repository—case will be heard by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday, November 7.
A subject list published on Saturday indicates that the appeal will be heard by a division bench consisting of IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), which is a party to the case, has also received a notice from the court.
After a trial court found Imran Khan guilty on August 5 of failing to report presents from the official gifts repository on his annual statements of assets and liabilities, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) filed a criminal charge against him.
The order from the lower court was temporarily stayed on August 28 by the IHC.
Imran’s bail reinstatement applications in the 160 million pound case and the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) inquiry into the Toshakhana scam will be heard on Tuesday by the same court. The PTI chairman’s bail was withdrawn in both cases after he was arrested for his role in the Toshakhana case.
Meanwhile, a trial court postponed arguments in a case seeking proceedings against Imran and his wife, Bushra Bibi, for cohabiting after their first nikah, which reportedly took place without the fulfillment of the latter’s necessary iddat term.
During the hearing of the case, Special Prosecutor Rizwan Abbasi referenced different decisions of the higher judiciary about the iddat term.
The prosecutor also voiced concern over Imran’s primary attorney, Sher Afzal Marwat, not being present. Marwat’s assistant told the judge that their client was currently out of the country but will be present for the case’s next hearing. He asked the judge to delay the case without further proceeding.
After hearing testimony from both sides, the court will move forward with the case, as the judge has instructed. The court session was recessed till Wednesday, November 13.
According to the petitioner, Bushra Bibi married Imran Khan on January 1, 2018, despite the fact that her iddat period had not yet ended (as required by Sharia and Muslim law). Her divorce from her first spouse occurred in November 2017.
He presented testimony from Imran’s close friend and marriage officiant, Awn Chaundhry, as well as Mufti Muhammad Saeed, who married Imran and Bushra.
