In the Toshakhana case, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) of Pakistan has petitioned the Islamabad High Court to overturn the sentences of former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, and requested a remand for further proceedings.
NAB prosecutor Amjad Pervez has openly criticized how the court conducted the trial and sentencing, highlighting his earlier calls to suspend these sentences.
During the hearing, presided over by Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Mian Gul Hasan Aurangzeb, Barrister Ali Zafar requested that his clients be excused from appearing in person. Justice Farooq reassured him, “Don’t worry, we’ll order it,” Pervez did not object to the exemption.
Zafar denounced the trial process as a “jail trial” with rushed proceedings that violated his client’s rights. He noted the premature termination of the right to cross-examination on January 29 and the late-night recording of Bushra Bibi’s statement. He also highlighted that the court did not record Khan’s statement until January 31, arguing that this hastiness compromised the defense.
After Zafar’s arguments, Justice Farooq encouraged him to discuss the prosecutor’s request for a remand further with Imran Khan, warning, “If you oppose NAB’s proposal, we will rule based on merit.”
Read: Imran Khan Calls for November 24 Protest in Islamabad, Demands Justice
Justice Aurangzeb suggested that overlooking technical errors could lead to a decision to either order a retrial or directly address the case’s merits.
In response, Zafar argued that the sentencing decision “cannot stand.” The court then adjourned the hearing until November 21, instructing Zafar to present a clear stance on NAB’s proposal by that date.
Meanwhile, a special court in Islamabad dismissed Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi’s acquittal pleas in the Toshakhana 2.0 case on Thursday. Special Judge Central Shahrukh Arjumand, who will formally frame charges on November 18, issued the verdict.
The court had postponed the hearing to November 14 after rescheduling from November 12 due to the judge’s unavailability.
The Toshakhana 2.0 case centers on allegations that Khan and Bushra Bibi illegally retained state gifts. The court has deferred the indictment to the following week, with a final decision on charges anticipated soon.
During a 2021 investigation, authorities found that Khan and Bushra Bibi had illegally retained a Bulgari jewelry set received during a trip to Saudi Arabia. Although instructed to assess and declare the jewelry’s value, they did not deposit it, resulting in a significant loss to the national treasury, according to the NAB reference.
