The Islamabad High Court has decided to hear the appeals against the sentence in the Toshakhana 1 case on merit.
A two-member bench of the Islamabad High Court comprising Chief Justice Aamir Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb on Thursday heard appeals against the sentences of PTI Founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi in the Toshakhana 1 case.
Barrister Ali Zafar and others appeared in court on behalf of both the suspects, while Amjad Pervaiz, Rafi Maqsood and others appeared on behalf of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
When Barrister Ali Zafar said he wanted to take instructions from his client regarding the appeals, the chief justice remarked that they were hearing appeals, adding that if he did not present his arguments, the court would look at the judicial side.
During the hearing, the NAB requested to transfer the case back to the trial court, and prosecutor Amjad Pervaiz referred to the remand-back decision of the seven-member bench of the Supreme Court. Barrister Ali Zafar opposed the request.
The chief justice remarked that whatever they do, the court will hear the appeals on merit.
Justice Aurangzeb asked Ali Zafar about the seven-member SC bench's decision on remanding a case back, to which the counsel replied that the apex court remanded back the case to the trial court, which acquitted the accused. But, he added, the government changed at that time, and a different decision was pronounced.
Barrister Ali Zafar, in his arguments regarding the case, said the person who estimated the cost of the Toshakhana gifts works at a car spare parts shop. "If something was going wrong, they should have taken the stand in the trial court itself that something was wrong."
Later, the high court decided to hear the appeals against the sentence on merit and at the next hearing, Barrister Ali Zafar will present arguments on merit. Further hearing of the case was adjourned till November 27.
