Published on: 12 July 2023 at 12:55 IST
Imran Khan has lodged a challenge against the decision made by a trial court in the Toshakhana case. The challenge was presented to the Islamabad High Court (IHC) and relates to the admissibility of a complaint filed by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) seeking criminal proceedings against Khan.
The trial court had previously deemed the ECP’s reference as maintainable, resulting in charges being framed against the former Prime Minister. However, the IHC Chief Justice put a halt to the proceedings and instructed the judge to reassess the matter based on eight legal questions regarding the reference’s maintainability.
One of the questions pertained to whether the complaint had been filed by an authorized individual on behalf of the ECP. The hearing for Khan’s appeal is scheduled to take place today before a single-member bench of the IHC, presided over by Chief Justice Aamer Farooq.
In another development, the Lahore High Court granted Khan interim protective bail for two weeks in relation to seven criminal cases linked to the violence on May 9. Additionally, the LHC issued a notice to Khan in response to a government appeal challenging a stay order he had obtained to prevent an inquiry into an audio leak associated with the cypher controversy. Khan, accompanied by his counsel Barrister Salman Safdar, appeared before a two-judge bench of the LHC. Notably, the high court had previously suspended a call-up notice from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to Khan regarding the cypher inquiry in December.