Claiming that the punishment given to former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan in the Toshakhana reference was according to the law, Federal Minister for Law Azam Nazir Tarar said on Sunday, adding that Imran still had the right to appeal the verdict, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Speaking in the Senate, he said PTI chairman had been given a chance to prove his innocence, and now when he had been convicted, he should face the music. “Out of 40 times he was summoned by the court in the reference, he appeared only on three occasions,” Tarar said, and added, “These were his assets which led to his conviction.”

He further said that unlike Imran, former prime ministers Nawaz Sharif and Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani did not have the right to appeal the decisions given against them.  

He that all parties, part of the present coalition government, were of the view that elections should be held on time. “The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) should release a statement in order to explain its stance on the issue,” the minister said.  

Tarar went on to say that the reason for holding digital census this time was because of the reservations political parties had over the one held in 2017.