Imran indicted in Toshakhana case despite 'boycotting' proceedings

PTI chief's lawyer says indictment came regardless of Imran's request to postpone it

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan was indicted on Wednesday in the Toshakhana case even though the PTI chief and his legal team boycotted the proceedings.

Imran was scheduled to appear before a local court in the federal capital that had fixed his indictement for May 10 in the case last week.

Today's indictment came despite Imran’s request to postpone it.

The hearing for the Toshakhana case was also held at the New Police Line Guest House after the hearing for the Al-Qadir Trust case, in which the PTI chief was arrested from the Islamabad High Cou (IHC) a day earlier, was wrapped up.

Speaking to the media after the hearing of the case, Imran’s lawyer Sher Afzal Marwat said that the former prime minister and lawyers boycotted the indictment proceedings.

He maintained that the court indicted the PTI chief despite him expressing lack of confidence on the judge hearing the case.

“We are going to the Supreme Court (SC) today against the high court’s yesterday's decision,” Marwat said while referring to the IHC ruling that Imran’s arrest was legal.

Read IHC declares NAB notices in gifts case illegal

The lawyer added that the former prime minister was "kept awake" throughout last night, adding that he was kept in “a dirty room”.

He further said that the Islamabad police did not even provide a bed to the PTI chief.

“Imran’s message is that even if martial law is imposed, you [the nation] must stand up for the rule of law,” his counsel added.

Marwat said that the former prime minister has not “complained about NAB’s behaviour”, adding that the PTI chief has “expressed no confidence in IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq”. Imran’s lawyer also expressed disbelief on the Additional Sessions Judge Humayun Dilawar.

He added that the PTI chief has said that he was tortured at the time of his arrest.

Last week, on May 5, additional sessions judge Humayun Dilawar had dismissed two petitions filed by the PTI chief challenging criminal proceedings against him in the Toshakhana case after hearing arguments from both sides.

During the hearing of the petitions, Imran’s lawyer Khawaja Haris and ECP’s counsel Amjad Pervaiz had presented arguments. The judge had admitted the case for hearing in the court and had summoned the PTI chief in person on May 10 for indictment.