Pak Court Issues Non-Bailable Warrant Against Ex-PM Imran Khan in Toshakhana Case

A Pakistan court on Tuesday issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against former prime minister Imran Khan over charges of unlawfully selling gifts received from heads of other nations and foreign dignitaries.

District and Sessions Court Judge Zaffar Iqbal issued the warrant against the Pakistan-Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief and said the case was adjourned till March 7.

Judge Iqbal remarked that the charge sheet was to be filed today, and the accused did not appear before the court despite repeated summons.

Khan has been embroiled in legal troubles for buying gifts, including an expensive Graff wristwatch he had received as the premier at a discounted price from the state depository called Toshakhana and selling them for profit.

70-year-old cricketer-turned-politician was disqualified by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) under Article 63(1)(p) of the Constitution over “false statements and incorrect declaration” for buying gifts, including an expensive Graff wristwatch, a pair of cufflinks, an expensive pen, a ring, and four Rolex watches that he had received as prime minister at a discounted price and selling them for profit.

In January, Khan had moved filed a petition in the Lahore High Court (LHC) seeking an order to stop the ECP from a process to remove him from the party chairperson office over the Toshakhana case.

The cricketer-turned-politician in his petition asserted that the law does not place any bar on a convict from becoming an office-bearer of a political party. He also accused the ECP has exceeded its powers by trying to remove him as the PTI chairperson.

Khan was ousted as prime minister in April last year after the National Assembly passed a no-confidence motion against him. The PTI chief, who came to power in 2018, is the only Pakistani Prime Minister to be ousted in a no-confidence vote in Parliament.

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