University of Hull responds to controversy surrounding judge who convicted Imran Khan

After Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters staged a protest against the University of Hull, Manchester, the educational institute cleared its position on Judge Humayun Dilawar's participation in an ongoing training programme.

The PTI activists descended at the university campus to protest against the jurist — who convicted party chief Imran Khan in Toshakhana case — seeking his expulsion from the course after it emerged that he flew to London to attend the training.

However, it turned out that Dilawar did not fly to the Kingdom out of the blue as a statement released by the varsity in response to the controversy said that the participation was due to his selection by Islamabad High Court (IHC) for the training.

The university said it has been running human rights and the rule of law training for Pakistani judges since 2014, for which the participants are selected by their respective high courts in the country.

“The current cohort has been selected by the Islamabad High Court, the Peshawar High Court and the Supreme Court of Pakistan. The University has no role in the selection of judges," it read.

On August 5, Additional District and Sessions judge Dilawar sentenced former prime minister Khan to three years in prison in the Toshakhana case, sending shockwaves across the party.

The PTI chief was arrested shortly after being convicted, which drew a strong response from the party.

The 70-year-old cricketer-turned-politician was found guilty of misusing his premiership to buy and sell gifts in state possession that were received during visits abroad and worth more than 140 million Pakistani rupees ($635,000), allegations which he continues to deny.