ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has formed a new two-member bench to hear the pleas of former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi against a fresh Toshakhana case, in which Khan is currently incarcerated. The new bench, comprising Justice Mian Gul Hasan Aurangzeb and Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir, will hear the case on Thursday (today).
This change follows Imran Khan’s objection to Chief Justice Amir Farooq’s involvement in the case on July 25. Previously, the case was heard by a bench that included Chief Justice Amir Farooq and Justice Suman Rifaat Imtiaz. However, Justice Suman is unavailable today due to holidays, necessitating the formation of the new bench.
As a result, the original two-member bench of Chief Justice Amir Farooq and Justice Suman Rifat Imtiaz will not be present for the hearing.
Imran Khan, the founder of PTI, and Bushra Bibi have vehemently challenged their arrests in the Toshakhana case, questioning the legality of their detentions. The case involves allegations related to the handling and acquisition of gifts from the Toshakhana, a repository of state gifts.
Khan has been in jail since August last year, despite all four convictions handed down to him ahead of a parliamentary election in February being either suspended or overturned. Khan claims that all legal cases against him are motivated by a desire to keep him out of politics and suppress his party’s popularity.
Despite numerous acquittals in various cases, Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi remain in detention due to new charges in the Toshakhana case related to the sale of state gifts.
