Islamabad High Court suspends Imran Khan, wife Bushra Bibi's sentence in Toshakhana case

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday (Apr 1) suspended former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi's sentence in the Toshakhana case, reported Pakistan's Geo News.

A division bench of High Court Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb heard the appeal against the sentence.

Farooq said that the appeal against the sentence would be fixed for hearing after the Eid holidays.

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The IHC, earlier in the month of February, accepted the appeals made by the two against their convictions in the cases.

Khan and Bibi were sentenced to 14 years with 'rigorous punishment' in the Toshakhana case in January, days before the general elections.

They were also slapped with a fine of $2.81 million and were disqualified from holding any public office for 10 years.

Bushra, in her appeal, argued that the "power corridors" were the ones behind her conviction, reported Dawn.

She also claimed that the conviction was based on the "false statement" made by Syed Inamullah Shah, a former comptroller in the Prime Minister's Office.

Bibi said that Khan had ordered his military secretary to deposit the graft jewellery set in Toshakhana.However, the prosecution, she said alleged that the set was not deposited.

Meanwhile, Khan in his appeal had pleaded that the trial was conducted to infringe on the fundamental right to a reasonable trial, even though the convicts and their attorneys extended full cooperation to the court.

The Toshakhana case became a major point of dissent in national politics after the Election Commission of Pakistan disqualified the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder for making "false statements and incorrect declarations" in 2023.

(With inputs from agencies)