RAWALPINDI: Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi to Face Indictment in New Toshakhana Case on November 18
A Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) special court announced that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, will be indicted on November 18 in a fresh Toshakhana case. The court dismissed their acquittal pleas related to allegations of illegally selling a jewelry set gifted by Saudi Arabia’s crown prince during Khan’s tenure from 2018 to 2022.
This new Toshakhana case is distinct from an earlier one, where both Khan and Bushra Bibi were sentenced to 14 years in prison and fined Rs1.57 billion in January. However, their sentence was suspended by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in April.
Bushra Bibi was released from Adiala Jail last month after securing bail from the IHC. PTI leader Omar Ayub rejected rumors of any agreement linked to her release, confirming it was not part of a “deal.”
The couple’s new Toshakhana-related charges came soon after their acquittal in the iddat case, also referred to as the “un-Islamic nikah” case. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has filed a fresh reference, accusing them of financial losses to the state due to an alleged failure to properly deposit the jewelry in Toshakhana.
The NAB reference detailed that the jewelry, including a €300,000 necklace and Rs80,000 earrings, was sold without proper declaration. In 2021, the jewelry set was valued at Rs70.56 million, with the necklace alone priced at Rs50.64 million and the earrings at Rs10.5 million.
Furthermore, the reference claimed that Khan retained 58 out of 108 gifts received during his tenure, violating the NAB Ordinance. An inquiry into the case was initiated by the NAB chairman on August 1, 2022.
