Imran Khan will now be indicted in Toshakhana case on Feb 21

A local court in Islamabad has fixed February 21 for the indictment of PTI Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan in Toshakhana case, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Judge Zafar Iqbal on Tuesday also ordered Imran Khan to appear in person for the indictment.

The PTI chief could not be charge-sheeted today (Tuesday) due to his non-appearance in the court.

The court also ordered Election Commission of Pakistan to provide copies of the case record to Imran Khan’s lawyers.

Earlier in the day, Imran Khan once again avoided indictment in Toshakhana reference as a sessions court in Islamabad on Tuesday approved his plea seeking exemption from personally attending the hearing. 

The court reserved the verdict on PTI chief's plea after his lawyer filed an application in the court on behalf of his client seeking his exemption from court appearance on health grounds. 

Judge Zafar Iqbal remarked if Imran Khan kept on submitting court exemption pleas, how on earth the court would frame charges against him in the reference. 

The judge then asked the PTI lawyer about the surety bonds. To this, he informed the court that he had submitted the bonds a day earlier.

The court ordered Imran’s lawyer to submit approved copies of the documents being submitted as proof. 

But PTI lawyer Barrister Ali Zafar informed the court that they had not been provided attested copies of the evidence and complaint.

However, the ECP's lawyer objected to his claim saying that they had provided the said documents in front of the court. 

On this, the judge directed the lawyer to ensure that all the required material was provided to the defence.

The ECP lawyer wondered why Imran was not appearing before the court when he was hale and hearty. 

However, Barrister Ali Zafar requested the court to fix any date after February 15 for an appearance.

"Give us a date when Imran Khan will appear" the judge inquired.

"He will come if he is able to," the counsel replied.

The PTI chairman is recuperating from his gun wounds which he received during an assassination bid on his life during the PTI long march in Wazirabad on November 3.

The Islamabad district and sessions court was supposed to pronounce its verdict regarding indictment of former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan in the Toshakhana reference today. 

The Islamabad district and sessions heard the Election Commission of Pakistan’s reference against Imran Khan for seeking permission to start criminal proceedings against the latter in Toshakhana case. 

The court summoned PTI Chairman Imran Khan in person for his indictment today. 

The PTI chief had also skipped the previous two hearings of the court citing his health and security concerns. 

The court in its last hearing ordered Imran to submit Rs20,000 surety bonds in order to ensure his appearance during next hearing. 

The reference accusing Imran of not sharing details of the gifts he retained from the Toshaskhana and proceeds from their reported sales was filed by lawmakers from the ruling coalition last year in the Election Commission of Pakistan. On October 21, the ECP had concluded that the former premier had indeed made “false statements and incorrect declarations” regarding the gifts. So the commission declared Imran disqualified under Article 63(1)(p) of the Constitution. 

Subsequently, the commission had approached the Islamabad sessions court with a copy of the reference, seeking proceedings against Imran under criminal law for allegedly misleading officials about the gifts he received from foreign dignitaries during his tenure as the prime minister.

During its hearing on Dec 12, the court had reserved its judgement on ECP’s petition.

Reporter Ehtisham Kiyani