Imran to appear before JIT today in May 9 violence probe: lawyer

PTI Chairman Imran Khan will appear before a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) probing the vandalism of Jinnah House — the Lahore corps commander’s residence — on May 9 on Friday, his lawyer confirmed.

The former prime minister has been summoned to appear before the JIT at 4pm at Lahore’s Qilla Gujjar police headquarters.

His questioning is linked to a case filed at the city’s Sarwar Road police station, in the wake of the vandalism.

In the case, he has been accused of aiding the attackers who vandalised and set fire to the Jinnah House while he was under arrest.

On May 9 after the PTI chief was arrested by the National Accountability Bureau in the Al-Qadir Trust case, protesters took to the streets across the country and notably ransacked the corps commander’s residence in Lahore and tore down a gate of the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi.

Subsequently, cases were registered against Imran and his party workers.

“Imran Khan is required to attend the office of the DIG Investigation to join the investigation proceedings entrusted to the JTI formed by the Punjab government,” reads the summon notice issued by Lahore DIG (investigation) Kamran Adil, who is heading the JIT.

Talking to Dawn.com, Imran’s counsel Ali Ijaz Buttar confirmed that his client would be appearing before the JIT in response to the summons issued to him and record his statement in light of court orders.

Toshakhana hearing

Meanwhile, a district and sessions court in Islamabad adjourned the Toshakhana case hearing against the PTI chief at the request of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

When the hearing began, the ECP’s legal team member Saad Hasan told the court that the commission’s senior lawyer Amjad Parvez was busy with some personal engagements, and he would be unable to provide arguments in the hearing today.

Hasan requested the court to adjourn the hearing to July 17 (Monday). Imran’s counsel Barrister Gohar requested the court to fix the hearing for 11am on Monday.

The court accepted the ECP’s request and deferred the hearing until next week.

The Toshakhana case, filed by ruling party lawmakers, is based on a criminal complaint filed by the ECP.

The case alleges that Imran had “deliberately concealed” details of the gifts he retained from the Toshaskhana — a repository where presents handed to government officials from foreign officials are kept — during his time as the prime minister and proceeds from their reported sales.

Imran has faced a number of legal issues over his retention of gifts. The issue also led to his disqualification by the ECP.

On Oct 21, 2022, the ECP concluded that the former premier had indeed made “false statements and incorrect declarations” regarding the gifts.