Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf to approach Islamabad High Court against Toshakhana verdict

PTI founder Imran Khan's lawyer, Barrister Ali Zafar stressed that the accountability court announced the verdict in a 'hurry' after knowing that the party was approaching the Islamabad High Court in the Toshakhana case. He claimed that PTI lawyers were not permitted to conduct cross-examination in the Toshakhana case.

The PTI founder's lawyer said he will approach Islamabad High Court for suspension of the verdict in the Toshakhana case and will also apply for a copy of the NAB court's verdict.

Ali Zafar's remarks come after Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, were handed a 14-year jail sentence by an accountability court on Wednesday in Toshakhana case.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on December 19, last year, filed a reference against the PTI founder and his wife Bushra Bibi in the Toshakhana case.

Accountability Court Judge Muhammad Bashir announced the verdict. The PTI founder and his wife were also disqualified from holding any public office for ten years. The judge also slapped a fine of Pakistani rupee (PKR) 787 million.

In Wednesday's hearing, the PTI founder was brought to court but Bushra Bibi did not appear, as per ARY News report. After being asked about his statement of 342, Imran Khan responded, "The statement is in the room, I was only called to appear before the court."The judge directed Imran Khan to submit his statement immediately and remarked: "Don't waste court time."

The legal troubles for the PTI founder intensified as the court not only imposed imprisonment of 10 years but also disqualified him from holding any public office for the next 10 years.

"The lawyers have not come yet, I will submit the statement after showing them," the PTI founder said and then left the courtroom, according to ARY News.

Following the verdict of the NAB court, Bushra Bibi arrived at Adiala Jail to surrender before the graft-buster team. The former PM's wife was arrested by the ladies' police, according to ARY News report.

Sources earlier confirmed that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) team was 'constituted' for the arrest of Bushra Bibi. The Toshakhana case became a major sticking point in Pakistan's politics after the electoral watchdog disqualified Imran Khan for making "false statements and incorrect declaration" last year.

The development comes just a day after a special court established under the Official Secrets Act sentenced Imran and his foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi to 10 years in prison for the breach of state secrets, as per ARY News report.

Special Court Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain announced the verdict in cypher case soon after recording the statements of the two accused under Section 342 during the hearing on Tuesday.

The special court had begun the cypher trial afresh last month at the Adiala district jail after Imran and Qureshi were indicted for a second time in the case on December 13, according to Dawn report. (ANI)