The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has suspended the sentence awarded by the trial court to PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi in Toshakhana case, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Two-judge bench consisting of IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Aurangzeb Monday conducted the hearing on appeals of Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi against their conviction and sentencing in Toshakhana case.

The court pronounced its ruling after the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) lawyer said the Bureau had no objection to the suspension of sentence.

Speaking on the occasion, NAB Prosecutor Amjad Pervaiz said that after reviewing the case, he had concluded that it merited suspension.

He said he requested the court to suspend the sentence, adding the appeals could not be heard at this stage.

Describing the NAB’s stance as ‘fair’, Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb remarked that he praised the bureau for that.

IHC Chief Justice (CJ) Justice Aamer Farooq said that since the court was presently seized with the hearing of appeals in the US cipher case, it did not have time to hear arguments in the Toshakhana reference.

Barrister Ali Zafar, counsel for Imran and Bushra, argued that it was a different case altogether. “Therefore, I request the bench to hear the initial arguments.”

Justice Farooq informed Barrister Zafar that only one or two appeals of the cipher case were left. “We will hear appeals in this case later; can’t hear them together,” he said, and added, “However, the court is ready to hear the appeal, seeking the suspension of sentence in the Toshakhana reference.”

When Justice Aurangzeb asked the NAB prosecutor whether he had any objection to the suspension of sentence, he replied that he did not have any objection. 

Barrister Zafar, on the occasion, prayed to the court that besides suspending the sentence, the verdict should also be suspended.

Justice Aurangzeb, however, said that since the matter was sub judice, therefore it would be better to leave it for the time being.

Only days before general elections on January 31, Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi had been sentenced to 14 years in jail each in the Toshakhana reference.

An accountability court in Islamabad had indicted Imran Khan and Bushra in the reference earlier in January when the NAB had alleged that during his term as prime minister, Imran and his wife had received a total of 108 gifts from different heads of state and foreign dignitaries.

The verdict came eight days before the February 8 general elections.

As per the trial court verdict, Imran Khan and Bushra were barred from holding any public office for 10 years and slapped with a fine of Rs787 million each.

Reporters: Ehtesham Kiyani and Hashir Ahsan