ISLAMABAD: A Pakistan high court on Friday provided temporary relief to former prime minister Imran Khan in a case involving the unlawful sale of state gifts while returning the matter to the trial court to see if the complaint against him constituted a criminal proceeding.
In October last year, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) barred Khan from holding public office in what is popularly called the Toshakhana case, and sought criminal proceeding against the from premier from the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
The Toshakhana, or state repository, is a department under the Cabinet Division that stores gifts given to rulers and government officials by heads of other governments and foreign dignitaries.
“The matter is remanded to the trial court for decision afresh,” said the IHC verdict, as quoted by Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper.
However, the court rejected the ex-PM’s appeal to remove the trial court judge from hearing the case.
Khan is accused of misusing his position while in office to buy and sell state gifts that were worth more than Rs140 million ($635,000). An unfavorable judgment in the case can see him disqualified from politics.
Reacting to the development, Raoof Hasan, who was part of the former prime minister’s media team, questioned the court verdict in a social media post.
“If IHC has expressed lack of faith in the judgements of judge Dilawar, and about whom there is a strong impression of rabid partisanship, does he deserve another opportunity to adjudicate the case,” he asked. “This creates doubts about the IHC as well.”
