Criminal proceedings initiated against Imran

Islamabad: Criminal proceedings were initiated against Imran Khan at a court here on Tuesday in a case filed against the deposed Pakistan prime minister for concealing information about the expensive Toshakhana gifts. The Tosha khana is a department under the administrative control of the cabinet division and stores gifts given to rulers, parliamentarians, bureaucrats, and officials by heads of other governments and states and foreign dignitaries.

The proceedings against Khan were initiated on the Election Commission of Pakistan's complaint after it found him guilty of "false statements and incorrect declaration" in his election papers.

The complainant said Khan had "deliberately concealed his assets relating to Toshakhna gifts retained by him particularly in year 2018 and 2019 in the statements of assets and liabilities filed for the year 2017-2018 and 2018-19".

Additional Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal adjourned till December 8 the hearing of the case against Khan, who on Tuesday failed to appear before the court, after recording the district election commissioner Waqas Malik's statement, according to Pakistani media reports.

The 70-year-old Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) party Chairman -- who is recovering from gunshot wounds sustained in an assassination attempt during a protest rally -- was summoned to appear before the court during the previous hearing. Khan was summoned in the previous hearing that marked the beginning of a criminal trial against the ousted prime minister for concealing information about the expensive Toshakhana gifts.

The cricketer-turned-politician purchased from the Toshakhan an expensive Graff wristwatch from the Saudi royals which he received during a visit in 2018.