Toshakhana case: Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi get big relief from court, sentence stayed
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The decision comes eight days before the February 8 general elections, which Imran’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is contesting amid state crackdown and without any election symbol. Accountability Judge Mohammad Bashir conducted the hearing at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, where Imran is currently lodged. The couple were barred from holding any public office for 10 years and fined Rs 787 million.
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday suspended the 14-year sentence of former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi in the Toshakhana corruption case. Both were sentenced by the accountability court on January 31, days before the general elections, and were also sentenced to seven years in prison in the ‘non-Islamic’ marriage case. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had in December last year registered a case against Imran and his wife for retaining a jewelery set received from the Saudi Crown Prince despite its low valuation. The decision comes eight days before the February 8 general elections, which Imran’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is contesting amid state crackdown and without any election symbol. Accountability Judge Mohammad Bashir conducted the hearing at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, where Imran is currently lodged. The couple were barred from holding any public office for 10 years and fined Rs 787 million.
What is the matter about?
Pakistan’s anti-corruption watchdog alleged that during his tenure as PM, Imran Khan and his wife had received a total of 108 gifts from various heads of state and foreign dignitaries. Of those gifts, he allegedly kept 58 gifts for himself at a reduced price of more than Rs 142 million. The reference filed by NAB pertains only to the Graff jewelery set received from Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman of Saudi Arabia and has been upheld by the above accused persons despite extremely low valuation. The gift was reported to Toshakhana of the Cabinet Division by the Deputy Military Secretary through a letter dated September 2020, but it was not submitted as per the Procedure for Approval and Disposal of Gifts 2018 for correct and transparent assessment.
The latest conviction was based on charges of abusing his authority to keep gifts he or his spouse received during his tenure as prime minister. It was filed by the National Accountability Bureau. Khan has so far been convicted in four separate cases since he lost power in April 2022. He has got bail in both the Toshakhana cases.
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