ISLAMABAD: An anti-corruption court on Tuesday gave former Prime Minister Imran Khan a final opportunity to appoint a lawyer for himself and his wife, Bushra Bibi, in the ongoing Toshakhana case.
The court, led by Special Judge (Central) Shahrukh Arjumand, held the hearing at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail but postponed the case until November 2, as the expected indictment did not proceed. Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi face allegations of misusing power to acquire state gifts.
Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) prosecutors Zulfiqar Abbas Naqvi and Umair Majeed represented the government. Imran, requesting additional time to consult his legal team, was permitted until October 31 to finalize a lawyer, naming Barristers Ali Zafar, Gohar Khan, Salman Akram Raja, and Salman Safdar for consultations in jail. The court warned it would appoint a public attorney if a lawyer is not selected by the next hearing.
A plea for Bushra Bibi’s exemption from Tuesday’s hearing was granted despite the FIA’s objections, though the court directed her to appear at the next session. Prosecutor Umair Majeed contended that Bushra’s absence and lack of her signature on the petition were unjustified, urging daily trial sessions.
The couple has been detained in Adiala since July 13 following their arrest in a National Accountability Bureau (NAB) reference on allegations of misusing authority to keep Toshakhana gifts. This arrest occurred just hours after they were expected to be released in another case.
In this new Toshakhana case, NAB claims Bushra Bibi retained a jewelry set gifted by the Saudi crown prince during Imran’s tenure as Prime Minister (2018-2022). The gift, received during a May 2021 visit to Saudi Arabia, allegedly included a ring, bracelet, necklace, and earrings that were not properly declared in the Toshakhana, as required by law.
The reference alleges that the jewelry set was valued at approximately Rs70.56 million, with the former first lady responsible for a 50% deposit worth Rs30.57 million, as per Toshakhana regulations.
I am an experienced writer, analyst, and author. My exposure in English journalism spans more than 28 years. In the past, I have been working with daily The Muslim (Lahore Bureau), daily Business Recorder (Lahore/Islamabad Bureaus), Daily Times, Islamabad, daily The Nation (Lahore and Karachi). With daily The Nation, I have served as Resident Editor, Karachi. Since 2009, I have been working as a Freelance Writer/Editor for American organizations.
