Pakistan's ex-PM Imran Khan, wife Bushra Bibi indicted in Toshakhana case

Pakistan elections 2024 are less than a month away, but there seems to be no end of trouble for former prime minister Imran Khan as he and his wife Bushra Bibi have been indicted in the Toshakhana case. An accountability court in Rawalpindi Tuesday indicted Khan and Bushra Bibi in the Toshakhana reference filed against them by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). The decision was announced during a hearing in the case conducted in Adiala jail where the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder is lodged. A day earlier, the court deferred the indictment of Khan and his wife after the latter failed to appear before the court. On Tuesday, during the hearing, Bushra Bibi was also provided with a copy of the £190 million case. Meanwhile, the Khan has challenged his disqualification in the Toshakhana case. A five-member larger bench headed by Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan will take up the petitions on 12 January. What is Toshakhana case? Toshakhana is a Persian word for treasure house. As per the rule in Pakistan, government officials can keep gifts if their worth low. However, for extravagant items, they must pay a dramatically reduced fee to the government. The Toshakhana has been under scanner since the emergence of the allegations that Khan purchased the gifts he received, when he was the prime minister of Pakistan, at throwaway rates and sold them off in the open market for staggering profits. Khan was accused of misusing his 2018 to 2022 premiership to buy and sell gifts in state possession that were received during visits abroad and worth more than Rs 140 million ($635,000). As per officials in Pakistan government, the gifts included watches given by a royal family, which allegedly were sold by Khan’s aides in Dubai. The gifts included seven wristwatches, six made by watchmaker Rolex, and the most expensive a “Master Graff limited edition” valued at 85 million Pakistani rupees ($385,000). With inputs from agencies