Accountability court rejects bail pleas of PTI founder, his wife in Toshakhana, Al-Qadir Trust cases n Judge orders to seize property, bank accounts of absconders n Imran admitted article published by foreign journal was AI generated: Solangi n PTI claims piece was authored by Imran not compiled using AI.

ISLAMABAD/ RAWALPINDI  -  Islamabad Accountability Court on Tuesday indicted former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf PTI chairman Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi in the Toshakhana case and sought evidence from the prosecution on January 11.

The same court, however, fixed January 17 to frame charges on the ex-chairman of PTI in the Al- Qadir Trust reference pertaining to a scam of 190 million pounds. AC-I Judge Muhammad Bashir heard the cases against the accused at the Adiala Jail Rawalpindi, wherein the former PTI chairman was produced before the court. During the hearing, the court also instructed the authorities to freeze the assets of absconders in the Al- Qadir Trust case. The judge read out the charge sheet before the accused in the Toshakhana case.

The accused, however, denied the charges against them, and then the court sought evidence from the prosecution. The National Accountability Bureau, in the Toshakhana case, had blamed the accused for causing a loss of about Rs1573 million.

It claimed that the former PTI chairman and his wife Bushra Bibi had received 108 gifts from various countries out of which they kept 58 after paying the small amounts. NAB alleged that the accused also kept a jewelry set received from the Saudi Crown Prince against payment of small amount instead of submitting it to the Toshakhana. It also alleged that the accused managed to get a low value assessment of the jewelry set from a private person. 

The NAB submitted a list of 12 witnesses against the accused in court. During the proceedings, the court instructed the prosecution to share the copy of challan with Bushra Bibi in the 190 million pound reference. NAB also submitted the property details of absconder accused Farah Shehzadi and Shahzad Akbar.

The court ordered to seize the said property and bank accounts of the absconders, including Farah Shehzadi, Shahzad Akbar, Zulfi Bokhari and others.

Meanwhile, an Accountability Court (AC) on Tuesday rejected the bail of the PTI founder in Toshakhana reference and Al-Qadir Trust case worth 190 million pounds scam. AC-I Judge Muhammad Bashir heard the cases of former Chairman PTI at Adiala Jail Rawalpindi. 

The court adjourned the hearing in Toshakhana reference till January 11, wherein the NAB will produce twelve (12) witnesses against the accused. However, the same court adjourned the hearing of the Al-Qadir Trust case till January 17. Also, Special Judge of Anti Terrorism Court (No 1) Malik Ijaz Asif on Tuesday rejected the plea of police for allowing 30 days physical remand of former premier Imran Khan for his alleged involvement in May 9 violence cases including attack on GHQ in Rawalpindi. However, the judge directed the investigators of Rawalpindi police to complete their investigation from the accused PTI Chief Imran Khan in Adiala Jail within two days and submit the report with court by January 11, 2024.

“Since the accused can’t be taken out from the jail for probe therefore the investigators of all the police stations are directed to visit Adiala Jail turn by turn to grill the accused in cases pertaining to May 9 riots and arson,” observed ATC No 1 Special Judge Malik Ijaz Asif.

Earlier, the officials of Police Station (PS) RA Bazaar and SHOs of 11 other police stations showed the formal arrest of former premier and PTI Chief Imran Khan in GHQ and other military installation cases and had to produce the accused before anti terrorism court for obtaining his physical remand for further investigation. Due to some fault in video link, the proceedings of the high profile cases held in Adiala Jail. ATC No 1 Special Judge Malik Ijaz Asif assumed hearing in the cases regarding May 9 riots, wherein, military installations were attacked by charged mobs of PTI leaders and workers after deposed premier’s arrest in corruption case by NAB. All the 12 investigation officers (IO) of the cases registered against Imran Khan appeared before the court. The lawyers of Imran Khan were also present in the courtroom in Adiala Jail. During the hearing, the IOs of Rawalpindi police sought a 30-day physical remand of Imran Khan, the deposed PM, in at least 12 cases. The IOs had also produced the record of 12 cases registered against Imran Khan with police stations City (case number 563), Cantt (836), Race Course (759), New Town (2106), Sadiqabad (2076), Civil Lines (981), Waris Khan (914), RA Bazaar (708), Morgah (397), Wah Saddar (744) and PS Taxila (940) telling court that the accused in wanted by the police in afformentioned cases for investigation. On the occasion, the lawyers of Imran Khan had opposed the plea of police of granting physical remand of Imran Khan. After completion of arguments of both parties, ATC No 1 Special Judge Malik Ijaz Asif rejected the police’s request and ordered the investigation officers to visit Adiala Jail and complete process of investigation from the accused within two days. The court also ordered the IOs of Rawalpindi to submit the investigation report before the court by January 11, 2024. The anti-terrorism court judge will hear the May 9 violence cases again at 10am on January 11, 2024 at Adiala Jail. ‘

ARTICLE PUBLISHED BY FOREIGN JOURNAL’

Caretaker Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Murtaza Solangi said on Tuesday that former Chairman PTI had admitted that he didn’t write the article published by The Economist and it was an artificial intelligence-generated write-up.

Using his social media platform X account, the minister said that the current Chairman of PTI did not endorse its anti-establishment and anti- American content but the PTI overseas, some semi-literate anchors and The Economist were jubilant over AI-generated shenanigans. 

On the other hand, the PTI rejected media reports on the content and “mode of publication” of the essay, saying that they “did not reflect the actual state of facts regarding the matter”. “The said piece has been authored by the PTI Chairmanfor- life, Imran Khan, vindictively incarcerated at Central Jail, Rawalpindi. In no way, this has been compiled through the use of artificial means including artificial intelligence,” a statement released by the party’s Central Media Department said.