ISLAMABAD: The Punjab government has decided to withdraw all pending appeals in the Supreme Court challenging the bail granted to former Prime Minister and PTI leader Imran Khan, along with his wife, Bushra Bibi. The move came during a hearing before a three-judge bench led by Justice Muhammad Hashim Kakar.
During the session, the prosecutor representing the Punjab government informed the court that he had received instructions not to press forward with the appeals. He requested the court’s permission to withdraw all cases against the lower court’s orders that had allowed bail for Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi. The bench accepted the plea, and the petitions were formally dismissed as withdrawn.
In a separate proceeding, the same bench examined an appeal related to the Toshakhana case. PTI’s legal counsel, Latif Khosa, explained that the Islamabad High Court had suspended Imran Khan’s sentence in the Toshakhana matter. However, he clarified that although the sentence was on hold, the appeal against the conviction was still pending, which was preventing Khan from participating in elections.
Justice Kakar questioned whether the appeal had been finalized, to which Khosa replied that it was still under consideration. The justice observed that once a sentence is suspended, there should be no legal barriers preventing a person from engaging in electoral activities. He further inquired whether the individual would remain in custody or be released once the sentence is suspended.
Khosa confirmed that, in the case of suspension, the person would be eligible for release.
