Islamabad: In a major setback for former Prime Minister Imran Khan, the Pakistan Supreme Court turned down his request to halt the criminal proceedings against him in the Toshakhana corruption case.
During the hearing, Justice Yahya Afridi of the two-member bench remarked that the Supreme Court shall not interfere in the trial court’s matters in the Toshakhana case further, it urged the Islamabad High Court to decide three of Khan’s pending petitions challenging the court’s decision.
Khan is accused of missing his 2018 to 2022 premiership to buy and sell gifts in state possession that were received during visits abroad and were worth more than Rs. 140 million.
Following the rejection of relief in the case by Islamabad High Court, Khan (70), approached the apex court seeking intervention. However, the decision of Pakistan’s Supreme Court has further complicated his legal situation in the corruption case.
Earlier in May, a trial court rejected Imran’s petition challenging the maintainability of the case and indicted him as he denied all the allegation of misdeclaration of gifts. Subsequently the PTI chief challenged the trial court’s decision before the Islamabad High Court, which sent the case back to the trail court for re-examination.
On July 8, the trial court concluded that the ECP’s petition is maintainable and proceeded further against the former premier who then approached the Supreme Court for relief.