Pak court rejects Imran's request to withdraw appeal

ISLAMABAD, Dec 07 (Reuters): An Islamabad court on Wednesday rejected former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan's request to withdraw a key appeal so he could move it to a different court in the city of Lahore, his lawyer said, a possible setback in his efforts to overturn a decision set to prevent his running in elections next year.
Khan appealed last year in the Islamabad High Court against the Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) finding that he had unlawfully sold state gifts.
However, in January, Khan sought to withdraw that appeal so that another appeal at the Lahore High Court could proceed.
Khan's lawyer Naeem Panjutha said the Islamabad High Court on Wednesday turned down Khan's request to withdraw his appeal.
The ECP inquiry in 2022 found Khan unlawfully sold state gifts during his tenure as prime minister from 2019 to 2022. Khan has denied his behaviour was unlawful.