- Tarar says the exchequer lost millions of rupees.
- State law minister says ruling aligns with Constitution and law.
- Kayani says Toshakhana deposit was mandatory.
The ruling PML-N hailed the Toshakhana 2 verdict against PTI founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi, with ministers saying the sentence awarded to the couple is in line with the law.
A special court on Saturday sentenced ousted premier Imran and his wife to 17 years’ imprisonment each in the Toshakhana 2 case involving the under-priced purchase of luxury state gifts.
Reacting to the verdict, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the Toshakhana 2 verdict was based on justice, saying state gifts were fraudulently undervalued so a smaller amount was paid to the government and claiming the exchequer suffered losses of millions of rupees.
Tarar said the gifts were assessed at a much lower value through fraud, kept for personal use after causing the state a loss running into millions of rupees, and claimed Bushra Bibi withheld the gifts and took financial benefit.
He also said the sentences awarded in the Toshakhana 2 case would run after the completion of the sentence in the 190 million pounds case, adding that once a 14-year sentence ends, a 17-year sentence would begin thereafter.
Minister of State for Law and Justice Barrister Aqeel Malik said the decision was in accordance with the Constitution and the law, and said the PTI founder and his wife got the Bulgari set assessed at a lower value.
Minister of State for Railways and Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani said depositing the gift in the Toshakhana was mandatory and added fraud was committed by buying the gift for a pittance.
Minister of State for Interior and Narcotics Control Talal Chaudhry said it was good to see the outcome, but added the decisions should have come earlier so those involved would not have had the opportunity to raise questions.
He described the matter as a very clear case in which conviction was inevitable and said there was no defence available to them.
Chaudhry also said that the PTI founder and Bushra Bibi did not leave behind even a dinner set or a phone set, saying a rare necklace worth billions of rupees worldwide was wrongly valued, allowing it to be kept after paying only a small amount.
He said Toshakhana gifts were held by a ruler as a trust and said there had been a breach of that trust. Chaudhry said the case took around 14 to 15 months, but could have been decided within weeks.
Verdict and case details
Special Judge Central Shahrukh Arjumand pronounced the verdict after conducting 80 hearings at Adiala Jail.
The judgment awarded Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi 10 years’ imprisonment each under Section 409 of the Pakistan Penal Code, along with an additional seven years’ imprisonment each under Section 5 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947, and imposed total fines of Rs16.4 million.
The case began on July 13, 2024, when the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) took both into custody at Adiala Jail. They remained in NAB custody for 37 days before the investigation was completed, and NAB filed a reference in the Accountability Court on August 20, 2024.
Following a Supreme Court decision relating to NAB amendments, the case was transferred to the FIA Anti-Corruption Court on September 9, 2024, and the FIA added charges under Section 5 of the PCA, 1947, and Section 409 of the PPC. Trial proceedings formally began on September 16, 2024, with the first hearing held at Adiala Jail.
Bushra Bibi was granted bail by the Islamabad High Court on October 23, 2024, and released the next day, while Imran Khan received bail on November 20, 2024. Formal charges were framed against both on December 12, 2024, and the trial continued for nearly a year with over 80 hearings held at Adiala Jail.
The prosecution recorded statements from 21 witnesses and completed cross-examinations of 18 key witnesses, including former military secretary Brigadier (retd) Muhammad Ahmad, private appraiser Sohaib Abbasi, and Imran Khan’s former principal secretary Inamullah.
The FIA prosecution team was led by Federal Prosecutor Zulfiqar Abbas Naqvi, alongside Barristers Umair Majeed Malik, Bilal Butt, and Shahvez Gilani, while the defence was represented by Arshad Tabrez, Qausain Faisal Mufti, and Barrister Salman Safdar.
