ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) issued notices to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) regarding the acquittal pleas of former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, in the Toshakhana case.
The FIA has accused the couple of retaining an expensive Bulgari jewelry set gifted by a foreign leader—comprising a necklace, earrings, bracelets, and rings—at a significantly reduced price, allegedly causing a substantial loss to the national treasury.
The hearing was presided over by Justice Inaam Ameen Minhas, who recently joined the IHC bench.
Background of the Case
The couple was apprehended in the Toshakhana case on July 13, 2024, shortly after their acquittal in the Iddat case the same day. They were later indicted by Special Court Central-I Judge Shahrukh Arjumand on December 15, 2024.
Judge Arjumand had previously dismissed their acquittal pleas in November 2024. Following the rejection, Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi filed an appeal with the IHC earlier this month.
Legal Developments
Bushra Bibi was granted bail in October 2024, allowing her release after nearly nine months in detention. However, last week’s conviction of the couple in the Al-Qadir Trust case has led to her re-incarceration.
A special court had earlier issued an arrest warrant for Bushra Bibi after she failed to appear in court for 10 consecutive hearings.
While Imran Khan was granted bail in the Toshakhana case on November 20, 2024, he remains in custody due to a series of ongoing legal battles. Khan has consistently claimed these cases are “politically motivated.”
Key IHC Judgment
Earlier this month, the IHC ruled on Imran Khan’s post-arrest bail petition, stating that the PTI founder could not be prosecuted for failing to deposit the Bulgari jewelry set—allegedly gifted by the Saudi crown prince—into the state treasury under existing Toshakhana rules. Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb clarified that under the 2018 Toshakhana regulations, submitting a receipt for the gift was mandatory, but depositing the gift itself was not.
