In yet another relief for the former prime minister and ex-PTI chairman Imran Khan, a court in Islamabad on Tuesday acquitted him, ex-PTI leader Asad Umar and other suspects, including PML-N MNA Raja Khurram Nawaz, in the case of vandalism registered against them at Margallah police station, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.  

Judicial Magistrate Mureed Abbas pronounced the decision.

Advocate Sardar Masroof Khan and Amina Ali appeared in the court on behalf of the suspects.

The decision came only a day after the Islamabad High Court (IHC) suspended the sentence awarded by the trial court to Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi in the Toshakhana case.

IHC’s two-member bench, comprising IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Aurangzeb, heard Imran and Bushra’s appeals against their conviction and in the reference.

The court gave its ruling after the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) lawyer said the Bureau had no objection to the suspension of sentence.

Speaking on the occasion, NAB Prosecutor Amjad Pervaiz said that after reviewing the case, he had reached the conclusion that it needed to be suspended.

He requested the court to suspend the sentence, adding the appeals could not be heard at this stage.

Describing the NAB’s stance as ‘fair’, Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb remarked that he praised the bureau for that.

IHC Chief Justice (CJ) Justice Aamer Farooq said that since the court was presently seized with the hearing of appeals in the US cipher case, it did not have time to hear arguments in the Toshakhana reference.

Barrister Ali Zafar, counsel for Imran and Bushra, argued that it was a different case altogether. “Therefore, I request the bench to hear the initial arguments.”

Justice Farooq informed Barrister Zafar that only one or two appeals of the cipher case were left. “We will hear appeals in this case later; can’t hear them at this stage,” he said, and added, “However, the court is ready to hear the appeal, seeking the suspension of sentence in the Toshakhana reference.”

When Justice Aurangzeb asked the NAB prosecutor whether he had any objection to the suspension of sentence, he replied in negative. 

Barrister Zafar, on the occasion, prayed to the court that besides suspending the sentence, the verdict should also be suspended.

Justice Aurangzeb, however, said that since the matter was sub judice, therefore it would be better to leave it for the time being.