Pakistan: National Accountability Bureau summons Imran Khan's wife in Toshakhana case

Sep 06, 2023

Islamabad [Pakistan], September 6 : The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has summoned former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's wife Bushra Bibi in the Toshakhana case, Pakistan-based ARY News reported. 
The NAB Rawalpindi issued notice to Bushra Bibi and summoned her on Thursday at 11 am (local time) in connection with the Toshakhana case, ARY News reported. 
According to the notice, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman's wife Bushra Bibi received one chain, locket, and earrings on June 26, 2019. On September 18, 2020, Bushra Bibi received a diamond, gold ring, bracelet and necklace and did not declare it in her assets.
Earlier, the accountability court in Islamabad approved the bail plea of Bushra Bibi in the Toshakhana case till September 12. Imran Khan's wife has been accused of keeping a locket, chain, earrings, two rings and bracelet from the Toshakhana gifts. 
In addition, Bushra Bibi is accused of keeping gold, diamond, necklace, bracelet, gold, diamond rings, earrings and bracelet. According to the NAB, the gifts were not submitted to the Toshakhana to calculate their prices, ARY News reported. 
The Toshakhana issue became a major sticking point in Pakistan's politics after the Election Commission of Pakistan disqualified Imran Khan for making "false statements and incorrect declaration." 
The Toshakhana case alleged that Imran Khan did not share details regarding the gifts he retained from Toshakhana during his tenure as Pakistan's Prime Minister, according to ARY News report. Later, the Islamabad Court suspended the conviction of Imran Khan and directed to release him on bail from Attock Jail. However, the special court ordered to keep Imran Khan in judicial remand in cipher case.  
Meanwhile, Bushra Bibi has filed a petition in the Lahore High Court (LHC) seeking a stay on her possible arrest, Pakistan-based The News International reported on Tuesday. In the petition, she has sought details of all the cases including undisclosed FIRs registered against her.
Advocate Mushtaq Ahmad Mohal filed the petition, representing Bushra Bibi, urging the agencies including FIA, NAB, police and ACE have been keeping the FIRs secret so the petitioner could not approach the courts for grant of pre-arrest bail. The petition called the keeping the secrecy of registered cases illegal, unlawful and violative of fundamental rights.
Her petition contended that after the ‘illegal’ removal of her husband from the office of the prime minister, the political victimisation against her, her husband and other members of the family started by the federal and provincial governments, and law enforcement agencies with mala fide and ulterior motives lodged many false and frivolous FIRs against the petitioner and her husband on the direction of the governments. Her petition asked the court to declare the act of the respondents illegal and restrain them from arresting the petitioner in any undisclosed case or inquiry.