In a new development, incarcerated former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi were indicted on Thursday in the third Toshakhana corruption reference against them. The case concerns the purchase of an expensive Bulgari jewelry set at an unusually low price.
This indictment follows a week after the PTI leader and his party members were charged in connection with the May 9 attack on the army’s General Headquarters in Rawalpindi.
Imran Khan’s Ongoing Legal Challenges
Imran Khan was granted bail in the General Headquarters (GHQ) attack case by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) last month but has remained in prison on multiple charges since his arrest in August 2022. Thursday’s indictment marks Imran’s seventh, with previous cases concerning Toshakhana, a £190 million corruption case, and the GHQ attack.
In the new case, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) accuses the couple of illegally retaining a Bulgari jewelry set gifted by a foreign leader, including a necklace, earrings, bracelets, and rings. The FIA claims that this resulted in a significant loss to the national exchequer.
Imran and Bushra’s Defense
Imran Khan’s legal team has denied the charges, arguing that the gifts were acquired under the 2018 Toshakhana policy, and payments were made under the appraisers’ valuations. The defense also claims that the appraiser was coerced into altering his statement to implicate the former premier.
The couple had been arrested in the case on July 13 and were granted bail in October. The court proceedings continued as the defense sought further delays in the indictment.
Toshakhana Case Background
The Toshakhana case accuses Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi of illegally retaining a total of 58 gifts, including the Bulgari set, worth over Rs 142 million, which were reportedly undervalued by the appraisers. The gifts, which include items received from various heads of state during Imran’s tenure as prime minister, were allegedly kept at a significantly reduced price.
Indictments in Shadman Police Station Attack Case
Meanwhile, in a separate case related to the May 9 riots, former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and several other senior PTI figures have been indicted in connection with the Shadman police station attack. Among those charged are Dr. Yasmin Rashid, Omar Sarfraz Cheema, Senator Ejaz Chaudhry, and Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed. All the accused have denied the charges.
