ISLAMABAD: A district and sessions court in the federal capital on Wednesday approved Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s plea seeking exemption from personal appearance in Toshakhana case, ARY News reported.

Additional Sessions Judge Humayun Dilawar announced the ruling after hearing arguments from the former prime minister’s legal team and prosecutor Amjad Parvez.

During the hearing, the PTI chief’s lawyer Faisal Chaudhry filed an exemption plea and urged the Court to adjourn the proceedings till May 5 as Imran’s counsel Khawaj Haris could not produce arguments in the case today due to his engagements in Supreme Court (SC).

After hearing arguments, the court approved Imran Khan’s exemption plea after getting assurance from both parties of presenting arguments in next hearing.

Subsequently, the court then adjourned the proceedings till May 5.

It is pertinent to note that the Toshakhana issue became a major sticking point in national politics after the Election Commission of Pakistan disqualified the PTI chief for making “false statements and incorrect declaration” last month.

Read more: ECP releases detailed judgment of Toshakhana reference

The judgement added that the former premier was found to be indulged in corrupt practices under sections 167 and 173 of the constitution. “A criminal proceeding will be initiated against him over filing a false statement.”

“His disqualification under Article 63, 1(P) has been for his current parliament membership”, the ECP said in its 36-page detailed judgment of the reference.

“The amount in his bank account was around half of the value of the state gifts. Imran Khan was bound to declare the cash and bank details in his returns but he didn’t declare it,” ECP decision read.

“Imran Khan being declared disqualified and unseated from his National Assembly seat,” the ECP said, adding: “He has been disqualified under Article 63, 1(P), over submitting a false statement and declaration”.

Following this, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had launched probe against former prime minister Imran Khan in Toshakhana case on March 9.

The NAB action comes after Dubai-based businessman Umar Farooq Zahoor claimed that the PTI government sold an expensive Graff wristwatch — gifted to former premier Imran Khan by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman — for $2 million, worth approximately Rs280m at the time of sale in 2019.