By Asif Naveed
LAHORE (MNN); PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan, along with his wife Bushra Bibi, has filed separate appeals in the Islamabad High Court against their convictions and sentences in the Toshakhana-II case.
Both appeals challenge the verdict of the Special Judge Central, who had sentenced Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi to 17 years’ imprisonment each. The appellants have requested the high court to set aside the Toshakhana-II judgment and declare it unlawful.
In the appeals, it has been argued that the trial court wrongly relied on the statement of an approver, which could not legally be used as the sole basis for conviction. The appellants contended that the prosecution failed to prove its case against them beyond reasonable doubt.
The petitions further stated that multiple punishments cannot be awarded for the same offence and that the Special Central Court lacked the jurisdiction to hear the case. It was also claimed that Sohail (Suhaib) Abbasi was illegally made an approver in the case.
According to the appeals, the Bulgari jewellery set was retained by the former ruling couple in accordance with Toshakhana rules. The appellants further alleged that the case was registered without proper investigation and was politically motivated, terming it an act of victimisation.
The Islamabad High Court has assigned diary numbers to both appeals. Imran Khan’s appeal has been marked as Diary No. 24560, while Bushra Bibi’s appeal has been registered as Diary No. 24561.
