A court in Rawalpindi rejected the bail pleas of Imran Khan, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder, and his wife Bushra Bibi on Monday. They face charges of misusing their power to retain state gifts in the new Toshakhana case. The hearing took place at Adiala Jail, where the couple is being held. Special Judge Central Shahrukh Arjumand delivered the decision after listening to arguments from both sides.
This decision comes ahead of their indictment in the case, scheduled for October 2. The case had originally been handled by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). However, after a Supreme Court ruling restored amendments to anti-corruption laws, the court transferred the case to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).
Authorities have kept Imran Khan in prison for nearly a year, charging him with multiple offenses, including two Toshakhana references, the cipher case, and the Iddat case, which also involves his wife. The new Toshakhana reference surfaced after authorities arrested the couple shortly after their acquittal in the Iddat case, also called the “un-Islamic nikah case.”
A Rs71.5 million gift from Saudi Arabia
During the hearing, the FIA prosecutor provided details about the gifts the couple allegedly misused. According to the prosecutor, Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi received a Bulgari jewelry set, including a necklace and earrings, as a gift from Saudi Arabia during their visit in May 2021. The prosecutor told the court that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs valued the set at Rs71.5 million, but the couple had it privately valued at only Rs5.8 million.
The prosecutor further argued that the couple did not submit the jewelry to the Toshakhana repository, which stores gifts given to Pakistani officials by foreign dignitaries. Instead, they kept the items illegally. He requested that the court deny bail based on these violations.
On the other side, Barrister Salman Safdar, who represented Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi, argued that the new Toshakhana case mirrored the previous one. He claimed the allegations were the same, involving the same accusers, and should be dismissed. He also referred to the Supreme Court’s decision from September 6, which restored the NAB amendments, as grounds to end the case against his clients.
The court reserved its judgment after hearing both sides and announced its decision later in the day, rejecting the bail pleas of Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi.
The Jewelry Set Case
At the center of this case is a luxury jewelry set, including a ring, bracelet, necklace, and earrings, gifted to Bushra Bibi during her visit to Saudi Arabia in May 2021. According to the FIA, the set was worth Rs70.56 million, with the necklace alone valued at Rs50.64 million. The earrings were worth Rs10.50 million. However, Imran Khan and his wife undervalued the set at Rs5.8 million and did not deposit it in the Toshakhana.
According to the FIA, this undervaluation caused the national treasury to lose approximately Rs30.28 million. Under Toshakhana rules, government officials can keep state gifts after paying a percentage of their value. However, the agency claims that the couple failed to comply with these rules.
The FIA argues that Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi violated the NAB Ordinance by illegally retaining these gifts. Imran Khan has remained in prison due to a series of legal challenges, including this Toshakhana case, the cipher case, and other charges related to the May 9 unrest.
Despite getting some relief in other cases, Imran Khan remains behind bars due to this latest Toshakhana case and other pending charges.
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