Pakistan Elections: No Second Innings for Imran Khan as Islamabad HC Rejects His Plea in Corruption Case

The Islamabad High Court dismissed today former Pakistan’s prime minister Imran Khan’s petition to stay the order in the Toshakhana case, top government sources told News18.

Khan was arrested in Toshakhana, Al Qadir Trust and cypher cases, and is currently in Adiala Jail.

The District and Sessions Court in last August sentenced Imran Khan to a three-year jail term in Toshakhana criminal case, imposing a fine of 100,000 Pakistani Rupee on him. The court also banned the former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief from holding any public office.

The Islamabad High Court had earlier stated that Khan had been found guilty of corrupt practices, deliberately submitting fake details of Toshakhana gifts to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

News18 has already reported that Khan will not contest elections because of his court cases.

The PTI had said yesterday that Imran Khan will contest from three constituencies — Lahore, Islamabad and Mianwali — in the 2024 general elections.

PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Khan, who was nominated by Imran Khan for the top post in the recent intra-party polls, had earlier said the party wanted general elections to be held on February 8 at any cost. “When elections take place, we will defeat everyone,” he had said.

Pakistan daily ‘Dawn’ had quoted Barrister Ali Zafar saying all the PTI workers had been given directions to file their nomination papers as the country had entered into the election mode. “As long as the PTI candidates are concerned, our workers in jail, who have rendered sacrifices for the party in this difficult time, would be 100% allotted tickets on a priority basis,” he said.

The Pakistan’s President Office stated in November, “The President heard about the progress the Election Commission of Pakistan has made in delimitation and for elections. After a detailed discussion, the meeting unanimously agreed to hold general elections in the country on February 8, 2024”.

PTI Intra-Polls

The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Thursday ordered the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to decide the matter of PTI’s intra-party polls and electoral symbol by December 22 in “accordance with the law”.

Estranged PTI founding member Akbar S. Babar had declared that he would challenge the entire election process within PTI. He had alleged that the PTI had carried out a selection process aimed at throwing out party workers to give the reins to a few lawyers, as quoted by Dawn.