Pak court suspends ex-PM’s sentence in Toshakhana case

Islamabad: A high court in Pakistan Tuesday suspended Imran Khan’s three-year sentence in the Toshakhana corruption case and ordered his release from jail, but the embattled former premier will continue to remain in prison in the cipher case.

A division bench comprising Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Aamir Farooq and Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri announced the much-anticipated reserved verdict to release Khan, leaving many to guess if it is a relief ahead of elections or just a stopgap arrangement to fix him in another case.

“All we are saying now is that (Khan’s) request has been approved,” Justice Farooq said, referring to the former premier’s appeal against his conviction and prison term.

Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party said the decision of the district court has been suspended by the high court.

The bench also ordered the release of the 70-year-old former cricketer-turned-politician on the production of surety bonds worth Rs 100,000.

However, the former prime minister will continue to remain in prison as a special court holding his trial in the Official Secrets Act directed the Attock Jail authorities to keep him in the “judicial lockup” and produce him on August 30 before the court.

His deputy and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi is already in custody in the same case.

The case launched earlier this month alleged that Khan and others were involved in the violation of the secret laws of the country.

The high court bench reserved the verdict on Monday after the rival lawyers concluded their arguments on the suspension

of the conviction and three-year sentence handed down to Khan by Additional District and Session Judge, Islamabad, Humayun Dilawar on August 5 - a ruling that barred him from contesting general elections.

Khan was sentenced on charges of unlawfully selling state gifts acquired by him and his family during his 2018-2022 tenure.

He was also barred from politics for five years, preventing him from contesting an upcoming election.

The main issue for supporters of the former premier is if he would be allowed to lead the party in the forthcoming elections.

According to experts, it depends on settling the issue of his disqualification.

“He was disqualified by the Election Commission of Pakistan after conviction in the Toshakhana case and the disqualification is not affected by mere suspension of sentence,” senior lawyer Irfan Qadir said in a TV interview.