The National Accountability Bureau (NB) again, is on its way to investigate the PTI’s founding chairman Imran Khan under a new Toshakhana case.
This development came after the Islamabad High Court (IHC) suspended Khan’s conviction under a similar case and has recently granted him relief under a 190 million Pounds case. The Bureau will investigate both the former prime minister and the former first lady.
This latest reported development indicates that the state doesn’t look like releasing Khan and his wife. Both the former premier and the first lady are undergoing imprisonment respectively under the Cipher and Iddat cases. The incarcerated Khan is also accused of handling May 9 attacks on the military installations.
According to the reported details, the NAB will investigate both Khan and Bushra Bibi for the alleged possession and sale of not just one but 10 more valuable gifts, including seven precious watches, diamonds, and gold jewelry. These possessions and sales include Graff watches, Rolex watches, diamonds, and gold sets. It said that these gifts were sold without proper documentation and ownership transfer.
The NAB report reportedly said that an appraiser benefited the buyer. Disclosing further it states that the Graff watch was priced at Rs. 100.09 million, of which 20 percent – Rs. 20.01 million, was deposited in the treasury. The rules state that all gifts must be reported and deposited with the Toshakhana and only those worth up to Rs. 30,000 could be retained free of charge. The NAB authorities have authorized this inquiry.
Stating more it said that Khan – prime minister from August 2018 to April 2022 – and his wife had received 108 gifts from different state heads and dignitaries. They allegedly retained 58 gifts consisting of 118 items and all with an undervalued assessment of approximately Rs 142,123,100, as assessed by the Toshakhana. It said around 14 gifts worth more than Rs 30,000 were also retained by Khan and his wife.
The NAB earlier filed the Toshakhana reference against Khan and his wife for retaining a jewelry set, received from the Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, against an undervalued assessment. This reference was only for the Graff jewelry set. In this reference, the chairman of NAB authorized an inquiry to the DG NAB Rawalpindi on Aug 1, 2022. The DG authorized an inquiry on Aug 5, 2022. It subsequently turned into an investigation on July 14, 2023. This jewelry set was reported to Toshakhana by the deputy military secretary through a letter that was not deposited in accordance with the procedures.
It said that they illegally retained the same against payment of the meager amount of Rs 9.031 million based on an undervalued price assessment of Rs 18,092,000. Afterward, they both were convicted for 14 years, but the IHC suspended this conviction. Importantly in 217, the country’s top court declared Mr. Khan as truthful and honest (Sadiq and Ameen). The former CJP Saqib Nisar declared this under Article 62 (1) (f) of the constitution. Under the same article, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was disqualified.
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) suspended the conviction of Khan in al-Qadri Trust case. The accusation in this case states that Khan and his wife acquired significant amounts of money and land from Bahira Town Limited. It was obtained in exchange for legitimizing Rs. 50 billion, which had been identified and repatriated by the UK government. They grafted a huge land and Khan played a major role in the illicit transfer of funds, this case said.
This latest development came particularly after the IHC granted bail to Khan in a 190-million-pound corruption case. Khan was not released from jail as he is still serving out his sentences in the cipher and the iddat cases. After this new investigation, it looks like there is no program for releasing Khan from jail particularly when this new report reveals that Khan and his wife received 108 gifts. This case perhaps doesn’t cover all those gifts. Now what will happen to the rest of the gifts is something that the NAB will be knowing. Importantly, Khan is also accused of handling the May 9 attacks and the state looks very strict on it. (By Rana Kashif)
