A special court in Islamabad has dismissed the acquittal pleas of former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, in the Toshakhana 2.0 case. The court, presided over by Special Judge Central Shahrukh Arjumand, announced its verdict on Thursday, with formal charges expected to be framed on November 18. While Imran Khan attended the proceedings, Bushra Bibi was absent. The hearing had been postponed earlier to November 14 due to the judge’s unavailability on the original date.
The case revolves around allegations that Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi illegally retained state gifts, including a Bulgari jewelry set, without fulfilling the legal obligations of depositing them in Toshakhana, the government repository for gifts received by officials. The jewelry set, received during a visit to Saudi Arabia in May 2021, was found to have been undervalued, causing a loss of approximately Rs32.85 million to the national treasury.
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Bushra Bibi, who has been in custody since July 13, previously filed a post-arrest bail plea, which was heard by the Islamabad High Court (IHC). The court issued notices to the concerned parties, and the case is expected to proceed according to the usual legal protocol.
The Toshakhana 2.0 case further accuses both Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi of violating the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Ordinance, 1999, through their actions regarding the retention of the state gifts. The case is set to continue with the framing of charges next week, and it remains a significant issue for both the former prime minister and his wife.
