Islamabad HC to resume hearing on Imran Khan's plea challenging conviction in Toshakhana case
Islamabad (PTI): The Islamabad High Court will hear on Monday former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan's plea seeking the suspension of his three-year jail term in the Toshakhana corruption case.
A trial court in Islamabad convicted and sentenced the 70-year-old Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman to three years in prison on August 5.
Khan was sentenced on charges of unlawfully selling state gifts acquired by him and his family during his 2018-2022 tenure. He has also been barred from politics for five years, preventing him from contesting an upcoming election.
Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Aamir Farooq has been hearing Khan's appeal against the trial court's decision. The chief justice is scheduled to hear the final arguments on Monday, the Dawn newspaper reported.
Last week, the Supreme Court acknowledged "procedural defects" in Khan's conviction but opted to wait for the IHC decision on the former prime minister's plea, the report said.
The case was launched last year in October on the complaint of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) which had earlier disqualified Khan in the same case.
After a hearing spanning over months, Judge Humayun Dilawar of the Islamabad-based sessions court on August 5 awarded a three-year sentence to Khan for hiding the proceeds he got from the sale of state gifts.
Khan within days challenged the conviction in the Islamabad High Court (IHC), seeking to suspend his sentence and overturn the judgment.
The court held the initial hearing on August 22 but adjourned the cases till August 24 after the ECP Lawyer Amjad Pervez stated that he had not been provided with the record of the case and needed time to prepare.
At the previous IHC hearing, the court had adjourned the case due to the absence of the ECP lawyer Pervaiz. It had led Khan's counsel Advocate Latif Khosa to express his dissatisfaction with the court, saying he would not appear at the next hearing, the report said.
Subsequently, IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq, who was presiding over the hearing and in whom the PTI chief has expressed a lack of confidence, had asserted he would decide on the matter on Monday "even if no one appears", it said.
The Toshakhana case was filed by ruling party lawmakers in 2022 in the ECP, alleging that Khan concealed the proceeds from the sale of state gifts.
The ECP first disqualified Khan and then filed a case of criminal proceedings in a sessions court which convicted him and subsequently, Khan was sent to jail.
Khan is currently in Attock Jail following his arrest from his Lahore home
The case alleges that Khan had "deliberately concealed" details of the gifts he retained from the Toshaskhana - a repository where presents handed to government officials from foreign officials are kept - during his time as the prime minister from 2018 to 2022 and proceeds from their reported sales.
As per Toshakhana rules, gifts/presents and other such materials received by persons to whom these rules apply shall be reported to the Cabinet Division.
According to reports, Khan received 58 gifts worth more than Rs 140 million from world leaders during his three-and-a-half-year stint and retained all of them either by paying a negligible amount or even without any payment.
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TN polls: Vijay announces Rs 2,500 monthly assistance, 8 gm gold for women
Chennai (PTI): TVK chief Vijay on Thursday unveiled sweeping assurances in the party manifesto ahead of the April 23 Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu that included Rs 2,500 monthly assistance for women below 60 years, 8 gm gold for marriage and six free cooking gas cylinders a year, per family.
The actor-turned-politician also assured a quality silk saree in addition to gold for indigent brides and interest-free loans up to Rs 5 lakh for women-run SHGs. He assured corruption-free good governance if voted to power in his maiden electoral fight.
The manifesto also laid importance on education. To prevent school dropouts, mothers or guardians of children studying in government and state-aided schools will receive Rs 15,000 annually.
Vijay promised 100 special residential schools named after iconic leader K Kamaraj, credited with revolutionising education in the state, and higher education loans of up to Rs 20 lakh. The TVK founder also assured AI Ministry, AI University and AI City.
The manifesto placed a strong emphasis on agrarian welfare, too.
The party promised a full waiver of agricultural cooperative crop loans for farmers owning less than five acres of land, while those holding more than five acres will receive a 50 per cent waiver. Additionally, the party promised a Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Rs 3,500 per quintal for paddy and Rs 4,500 per tonne for sugarcane.
Addressing youth unemployment, Vijay pledged to create five lakh new government jobs and offer as many stipendiary internships. Unemployed graduates will be provided a monthly aid of up to Rs 4,000. For government employees, the party assured consideration of the Old Pension Scheme and the regularisation of contract workers, including nurses.
On the health front, he promised a drug-free Tamil Nadu. Vijay also committed to modernising hospitals, providing free annual health checkups, and introducing a Rs 25 lakh family health insurance scheme.
The manifesto also included a Rs 3,000 monthly pension for the elderly and the differently-abled, 200 units of free power, patta (land deed) regularisation, and 100 per cent piped drinking water supply for all households.
Some of the policy intereventions promised by TVK include a legal guarantee to provide essential government services like community certificates, and land pattas, within a strictly specified timeframe.
Vijay also promised doorstep delivery of governance by implementing a system to deliver services, such as ration supplies, directly to the people. He also assured that ease of doing business will be paramount to his government and promised a strict guarantee that business licences will be issued within 21 days.
Elections to 234 Assembly seats in Tamil Nadu will be held on April 23 and outcome known on May 4. Vijay is facing his maiden electoral battle, billing it as a direct fight between the ruling DMK and his TVK.
