ISLAMABAD: A prosecution witness in Toshakhana case against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan on Monday testified before the court that the value of Toshakhana gifts received by the PTI chief was not evaluated in his presence.
The PTI chief’s lawyer, Khawaja Haris, during the cross-examination of the prosecution witness and District Election Commissioner Wiqas Malik in the court of Additional Sessions Judge Humayun Dilawar said that asked the witness that was the value of the gifts received by his client from Toshakhana determined in his presence, the witness replied in the negative.
Haris further questioned the witness are you an expert on Toshakhana gifts value evaluation. The witness replied that he is an expert on gifts evaluation. In your statement recorded before the court, you stated that in the year 2018-19, the value of Toshakhana gifts was Rs 107 million, through whom you did this evaluation, Khan’s counsel asked the witness.
At this, the witness said that he has earlier stated that no one assisted him regarding Toshakahana. He further said that he was neither part of the ECP proceedings nor mentioned the name of any witness in the complaint who estimated the value of gifts.
The Election Commission’s counsel Amjad Pervez while objecting to the defence counsel’s question said that is the indictment been made related to the value of the gifts in this case? Haris said that he is questioning the witness about his statement.
During the hearing, Khan’s counsel asked the witness have you seen the bank statement before filing the complaint. Yes, he had seen the bank statement of the PTI chief before filing the complaint, the witness replied. The bank statement of the PTI chief had automatically generated by a computer, therefore, there is no need for its verification, the witness said.
Haris told the witness this document does not show that it had been automatically generated by a computer. I am not an expert, cannot say anything that it is computer generated or not.
Earlier, PTI Chief Imran Khan arrived in the district courts after appearing before the Supreme Court. On his way to the courtroom, an unidentified person threw a water bottle at the PTI chief but he was not hit.
It is pertinent to be mentioned here that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Attaullah Tarar was also present in the courtroom during the hearing. Khan’s lawyer played a video message of Tarar before the court in which he was asking PML-N workers to reach the court.
The court after marking the attendance of the PTI chief allowed him to leave the court. ECP’s counsel Saad Hassan and Khan’s counsel Barrister Gohar Ali Khan also appeared before the court.
The judge remarked that he has written a letter to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) about Facebook posts. I have also written to the Islamabad High Court (IHC) that he should be provided justice, the judge further said.
Haris asked the witness that has he prepared Form B he mentioned while recording his statement before the court by himself. The witness replied that he did not prepare Form B for the year 2018-19 and 2021 of the PTI chief.
ECP’s counsel Amjad Pervez objected to the questions raised by Khawaja Haris.
Haris said that the witness is saying what the ECP lawyer is saying.
The documents attached from pages 1 to 44 are not signed by him, the witness said, adding that only the first pages are verified.
Haris raised an objection over the ECP counsel’s interference in the middle of the cross-examination. I am seeing such attitude in the court for the first time, he said.
The court adjourned the hearing of the case till today (Tuesday) and Haris will continue the cross-examination of the witness.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
Comments
Comments are closed.