What is the new Toshakhana case against Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi?

A fresh case of alleged misuse of Toshakhana has surfaced against PTI founder Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has initiated an inquiry into the purported illegal possession and sale of seven high-value watches and 10 other precious gifts, including diamond and gold jewelry.

According to the inquiry report, the accusations revolve around the unauthorized sale of valuable items such as Graff and Rolex watches, along with diamond and gold jewelry. These gifts were allegedly sold without being legally owned or deposited in the Toshakhana, as mandated by law.

Of particular concern is the sale of a set of expensive Graff watches, which were reportedly disposed of without proper retention procedures. The report underscores the legal requirement for all gifts to be reported and deposited in the Toshakhana, with only items valued up to Rs30,000 permitted to be retained by recipients.

NAB’s investigation has unveiled alleged collusion between the buyers of the Graff watches and a private appraiser. The estimator is accused of undervaluing the watches by Rs30 million before receiving an email from Toshakhana, indicating collaboration. The watches, valued at Rs100.9 million, saw only Rs20.1 million, or 20% of their value, deposited into the government treasury.

The probe aims to uncover the extent of Toshakhana regulations’ misuse and the alleged underreporting and sale of valuable gifts.

This development comes after the Islamabad High Court suspended the sentences of Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi in a previous Toshakhana reference by NAB on April 1.

Earlier, on January 31, Accountability Court Judge Muhammad Bashir had sentenced the couple to 14 years in prison each, with Khan also facing a 10-year disqualification from holding public office. Additionally, a fine of Rs787 million was imposed on each, totaling Rs1.58 billion collectively.

The judgment stipulates that the fine amount will be recoverable as tax arrears, with the time spent in jail considered part of the punishment.