Court reserves verdict in Imran Khan’s Toshkhana case

Islamabad: An Islamabad court Monday reserved its verdict on a petition filed by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan in the Toshakhana case. 

As per details, additional Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal heard the case before reserving his verdict, which will be announced on December 15 at 2 pm.

The case was heard by Additional Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal.

On November 22, the trial court took up the Toshakhana reference filed by ECP against the former Prime Minister for allegedly indulging in corrupt practices, which Khan denies.

The Election Commission had filed a petition in a district and sessions court against Imran Khan over tax evasion and the amount received from selling expensive gifted watches.

The election body had submitted a copy of the reference in court requesting criminal proceedings be initiated against him. 

ECP lawyer Saad Hassan said that Imran Khan’s way of dealing with the Toshakhana gifts is tantamount to money laundering.

“ He [Imran Khan] failed to inform for how much he had sold the watch for,” he argued, adding that former premier was legally bound to disclose how he treated the gifts he acquired. 

Toshakhana Case

The Toshakhana controversy erupted last year when it was disclosed that Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi bought gifts given by foreign dignitaries from the state gift depository (also called Toshakhana) but did not disclose the assets in declarations submitted to the commission, and later sold them in the market at discounted rates.

The PTI had initially expressed reluctance to reveal the details of the gifts given to Khan, claiming it could potentially jeopardise Pakistan’s foreign relations.

The gift depository is a government department created in the 1970s, which stores gifts given to rulers, politicians, government officials and functionaries by heads of states and other foreign dignitaries.

Toshakhana rules state that all gifts must be submitted to the department. However, they can later be bought. 

While selling the gifts is not strictly illegal, many consider it unethical and morally wrong.

The PTI leader was also accused of “deliberately” hiding the gifts that he bought from Toshakhana, but later confessed to having sold these gifts, without disclosing the details to the commission.