Toshakhana case: Accountability court issues detailed judgement
Pakistan
Toshakhana case: Accountability court issues detailed judgement
ISLAMABAD (APP) – The Accountability Court in Islamabad issued its written order on Friday detailing the 14-year imprisonment sentence for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and his wife Bushra Bibi in the Toshakhana case.
AC judge Muhammad Bashir, in his 44-page comprehensive judgement, stated that the court had examined a total of 16 witnesses during the trial.
According to the order, the PTI founder and his wife received a total of 108 gifts from abroad. Notably, the PTI founder's wife received a graff jewellery set as a gift from the Saudi crown prince, which was reported but not deposited into the Toshakhana.
The judgement revealed that the two accused wielded influence over the private expert who determined the value of the gift. They acquired the graff jewellery set after paying only Rs9 million, while its actual value exceeded Rs3.16 billion.
Sohaib Abbasi, responsible for determining the gift's value, estimated it lower on the instruction of the PTI founder.
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) issued five notices to Bushra Bibi and the PTI founder, requesting them to bring the graff jewellery set to determine its price, but both failed to do so.
The order emphasised the inappropriate attitude of the PTI founder during the trial. The accused changed defence lawyers frequently, showing unwillingness to cross-examine witnesses. Despite receiving a questionnaire, the PTI founder did not provide answers. Defence lawyers were aware of the hearing date but failed to appear in court.
The court highlighted that the accused did not accurately determine the actual value of the gift, and crucially, they did not provide information about the gifts.
The verdict mentioned that NAB consulted Imran Bashir, a Dubai-based expert on jewellery and antiquities, who estimated the set's price from various dealers. He reported a value of Rs3.160 billion for the jewellery set.
Furthermore, the court asserted that it was proven that the price of the jewellery set was significantly higher than the estimate from a private person. Bushra Bibi received the jewellery set, but she did not submit it to the Toshakhana.
The verdict noted that the accused were given ample time to respond to questions, but they did not. While Bushra Bibi recorded her statement, the PTI founder employed delaying tactics.
The prosecution presented solid evidence against the accused to substantiate the charges, leading to the court's decision to award a 14-year rigorous imprisonment sentence to both Bushra Bibi and the PTI founder. Additionally, a fine of Rs787 million was imposed on each accused.
Moreover, the court disqualified the PTI founder from holding any public office for ten years.
