Imran Khan’s Legal Team Opposes Remand of Toshakhana Case to Accountability Court

Islamabad: Imran Khan’s legal team has opposed the request to send the Toshakhana One case back to the Accountability Court for further proceedings. The legal team, representing the founder of PTI (Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf) and his wife Bushra Bibi, has decided to present their arguments on the merits of the case directly before the Islamabad High Court.
In a significant development, the legal team of PTI’s founding chairman, Imran Khan, has taken a firm stance against the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) request to remand the Toshakhana One case back to the Accountability Court. Instead, the legal team intends to argue the case’s merits before the Islamabad High Court, with Barrister Ali Zafar set to begin presenting arguments on November 27.
Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi had previously filed appeals against the sentences handed down by the Accountability Court on January 31, 2024. In response, the Islamabad High Court had suspended their sentences. The Accountability Court had sentenced both Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi to 14 years in prison in the Toshakhana case, which involves allegations of misappropriation of state gifts.
During a hearing of the appeals in the Islamabad High Court, Chief Justice Amir Farooq and Justice Mian Gul Hassan Aurangzeb questioned the progress of the case. Barrister Ali Zafar, representing Imran Khan, informed the court that while he had not been able to meet with his client directly due to restrictions, he had received indirect instructions from the legal team to proceed with the arguments on merit. Zafar also mentioned that the prosecution had failed in presenting a fair trial.
The Islamabad High Court hearing saw the bench noting that the case could not be directly compared with the previous cipher case, where a decision had been made within two months without the opportunity for cross-examination or recording a 342 statement. Barrister Zafar emphasized that the prosecution had failed to present a strong case and had relied on incomplete evidence.
The court was reminded by Justice Mian Gul Hassan Aurangzeb of a similar case in the past, where the SGS and Cotecna cases had been remanded back, but eventually led to acquittals. In this context, Barrister Zafar suggested that the government had changed during the trial, and there were efforts to ensure a renewed conviction.
The court decided to adjourn the hearing until November 27, when Barrister Zafar will present detailed arguments on the merits of the case.