Islamabad [Pakistan], January 10 (ANI): The Islamabad accountability court indicted former Pakistan PM and Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi in the Toshakhana reference, Dawn News reported on Tuesday. During the hearing held on Tuesday at Adiala Jail, Imran, his spouse, PTI lawyers Shoaib Shaheen and Barrister Umar Niazi appeared in court. NAB prosecutors Sardar Muzaffar and Amjad Pervaiz were also in attendance.
As the proceedings commenced, accountability judge Muhammad Bashir indicted the PTI founder and his wife and read out loud the charges framed against them. Dawn News reported that Imran denied the charges saying he was waiting for the day when he would meet the approvers, who had testified against him, claiming that people were kidnapped, after which they became witnesses.
The court subsequently adjourned the hearing till January 11 and directed the NAB to produce the witnesses in the case at the next proceedings. Separately, the judge also reserved the verdict in the 190 million-pound reference. The case alleged that Imran and Bushra Bibi obtained billions of rupees and land worth hundreds of kanals from Bahria Town Ltd. for legalising Rs50bn that was identified and returned to the country by the UK during the previous PTI government.
The reference filed by NAB said Imran played a “pivotal role in the illicit transfer of funds meant for the state of Pakistan into an account designated for the payment of land by Bahria Town, Karachi”.
It also claimed that despite being given multiple opportunities to justify and provide information, the accused deliberately, with mala fide intention, refused to give information on one pretext or another. According to the Dawn News report, copies of the case record were given to Bushra Bibi. Imran was handed over the copies during yesterday’s hearing. The judge said charges would be framed against the suspects on January 17 and adjourned the case.
The court also rejected Imran’s post-arrest bails in both the Toshakhana and 190 million pounds references. Speaking to reporters after the hearing, the PTI leader said it was alleged in the Toshakhana reference that he used his office boy as the prime minister for corruption of millions and billions of rupees. “Being the premier, I used no one else but the office boy […] how is that possible?” Imran asked, adding that two persons, including an office boy, were made approvers against him.
“Is this society running on [the concept] of Amr Bil Maroof (enjoin the good)?” he further questioned, adding, “I am being punished for trying to bring the mighty under the law.” On December 19, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) filed a fresh reference against Imran and his wife in an accountability court for retaining a jewellery set received from the Saudi crown prince against an undervalued assessment.
The anti-graft watchdog alleged in the reference that during his term as prime minister, Imran and his wife had received a total of 108 gifts from different heads of state and foreign dignitaries. “Out of these 108 gifts, the accused persons retained 58 gift boxes or sets against an undervalued amount of PKR 142.1 million as assessed by appraisers,” the reference stated. (ANI)
