NAB files Toshakhana Case reference against Imran Khan & Bushra Bibi

Particular focus is on Bushra Bibi’s alleged retention of various jewelry items received as gifts during official visits.

ISLAMABAD: In a significant development, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) filed a reference with the accountability court on Tuesday, naming former Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, as the accused in the Toshakhana case. The NAB Rawalpindi, acting on allegations of graft, submitted the reference to the registrar office, marking a crucial step in the legal proceedings.

The reference follows the rejection of NAB’s request for an extended physical remand of Imran Khan in the Toshakhana case on Saturday. Instead, the court declared a 21-day judicial remand for the former PTI chairman, adjourning the hearing until January 6.

The allegations against Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi center on the purported retention of gifts received during official visits to foreign countries while Imran Khan served as the prime minister. The couple is accused of not following the official protocol by depositing these gifts in the Toshakhana, contributing an amount less than the stipulated value into the national treasury.

Particular focus is on Bushra Bibi’s alleged retention of various jewelry items received as gifts during official visits. The list includes a locket, two rings, two ear tops, and two bracelets received in 2019, a diamond-studded gold necklace, ring, bracelet, and ear tops in 2020, and additional items in 2021. Despite NAB’s requests for the return of these gifts, especially the jewelry, Bushra Bibi has reportedly failed to comply.

The NAB directed Bushra Bibi to appear at the NAB Rawalpindi office on December 11 and bring the specified ornaments. In response, she obtained bail until December 13 in this case from the accountability court in Islamabad.

Read more: Imran’s physical remand extension denied in Toshakhana case

As legal proceedings unfold, the Toshakhana case against Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi takes center stage, marking a critical juncture in the accountability process.