ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) granted bail to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan in the new Toshakhana reference.
The court ordered Khan to submit two surety bond of Rs1m each and directed him to appear in trial court. The judge ordered the jail authorities to set the PTI founder at liberty.
Imran Khan is unlikely to walk free as his arrest has been shown in several other cases.
During the course of hearing, the FIA prosecutor said the media would exonerate the PTI founder even before the court verdict. The judge asked the officer to keep himself aloof from media.
Earlier, Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb of the IHC remarked that when the PTI was holding the reins of the government, it didn’t respond to the questions seeking details of Toshakhana.
Hearing Khan’s bail plea in the new Toshakhana reference, Justice Aurangzeb asked the respondent’s lawyer about the method used to determine the prices of the jewellery and other gifts received by the former premier and his wife.
Barrister Salman Safdar responded that it was the responsibility of the prosecutor to inform court about that.
During the hearing, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) prosecutor said the media had been reporting as if the court had granted bail to the PTI chief.
“If media doesn’t create hysteria, then how will it be able to sell news,” Justice Aurangzeb remarked.
The court asked whose name was on the challan form to which the lawyer replied “Bushra Bibi’s name is on the challan and Sohaib Abbasi has been made an approver whereas Inamullah Shah has been made witness by the prosecution.”
Justice Aurangzeb inquired from the prosecutor how was Khan a beneficiary of the gifts received by his wife to which the prosecutor responded “if the wife receives something in gifts, it also benefits her husband.”
In a seemingly displeased gesture, the judge said “how can his wife’s possessions be linked to him”.
Read more: LHC Trashes PTI Founder’s Plea for Interim Bail in All Cases
