Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has once again approached the Supreme Court, seeking the annulment of his conviction in the Toshakhana case.
This move follows objections raised by the Supreme Court Registrar’s Office to his initial appeal, citing incomplete documents.
The appeal, filed under Article 185 of the Constitution by lawyer Sardar Latif Khosa, aims to overturn Imran Khan’s three-year prison sentence and a fine of Pakistani Rupee (PKR) 1,00,000 imposed by Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADSJ) Humayun Dilawar on August 5, 2023.
The judge had found Imran Khan guilty of graft in the Toshakhana case, resulting in his disqualification from holding any public office for five years.
After addressing the initial setbacks, Imran Khan’s legal team rectified the objections raised by the Supreme Court Registrar’s Office and resubmitted the appeal.
However, the Registrar’s Office returned the appeal on December 23, instructing the petitioner to refile it with all relevant papers by January 6.
In a parallel effort to challenge the conviction, the founder of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had previously petitioned the Supreme Court against the Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) order in the Toshakhana case.
The IHC, however, dismissed Imran Khan’s plea seeking the suspension of the trial court’s verdict.
Imran Khan has now filed a fresh petition, appealing the IHC’s decision and emphasizing that his sentence in the Toshakhana case has already been suspended.
He argues that the suspension of only his sentence, rather than the entire conviction order by the trial court, denies him his fundamental right to contest elections.
The Toshakhana case centers around allegations that Imran Khan, during his 2018 to 2022 premiership, misused his position to buy and sell gifts received during official visits abroad.
Under Toshakhana rules, officials can retain low-worth gifts but must pay a reduced fee to the government for extravagant items.
Imran Khan was accused of selling these gifts, including expensive watches, in the open market for significant profits.
The 70-year-old cricketer-turned-politician faces accusations of acquiring gifts received as prime minister at low rates and selling them for substantial profits.
The gifts, valued at over PKR 140 million (USD 635,000), included watches given by a royal family.
Government officials alleged that Imran Khan’s aides sold them in Dubai, with the most expensive being a “Master Graff limited edition” Rolex valued at 85 million Pakistani rupees (USD 385,000).
As Imran Khan continues his legal battles, he aims to clear his name in the Toshakhana case, with the goal of participating in the general elections scheduled for February 8, 2024.
