ISLAMABAD/RAWALPINDI   -  The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Tuesday filed another toshakhana reference to accountability court against Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI)’s founder Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi.

In the reference, it has been said that the national exchequer has suffered a loss of Rs 3,28,51300.  It prayed the court to award sentence to the accused. The reference was filed against founder PTI and Bushra Bibi over a Bulgarian jewelry set given by the Saudi Crown Prince.

It stated that Bushra Bibi was given a Bulgarian jewelry set on the occasion of her visit to Saudi Arabia from May 7 to 10, 2021. The jewelry set includes one ring, one bracelet, one necklace, one pair of earrings.  It is further stated that as per the evidence collected during the investigation, founder PTI and Bushra Bibi illegally kept the jewelry set. The Deputy Military Secretary on 18th May 2021 informed the Section Officer Toshakhana regarding assessment of the value and declaring but the jewelry set was not submitted to toshakhana.

It said that the Bulgarian Company sold a necklace for 300,000 euros and earrings for 80 thousand euros to Franchise Solvent Trading Saudi Arabia on 25 May 2018. Information about the price of bracelets and rings couldn’t be received from the company.

On 28 May 2021, the total price of jewelry set is about 7,56,61600 Pakistani rupees, the price of the necklace included in the jewelry set is Rs 5,64, 96000 rupees while the price of the earrings included in the set is 1,50,65 600 rupees.

It said that according to the Toshakhana rules, by giving 50%, the price of the Bulgarian jewelry set has value of 3,57,65800 rupees. The value of the set as assessed less than the actual price and caused a loss worth Rs 3,28,51300 to the exchequer. The reference said that founder PTI along with Bushra Bibi violated Section 9 and sub-sections 3, 4, 6 and 12 of NAB Ordinance 1999.

After the board meeting on 1st August 2022, an inquiry was started against the founder PTI and Bushra Bibi on the direction of Chairman NAB. The founder PTI and Bushra Bibi have misused their powers. The PTI founder retained 58 out of 108 gifts during his tenure as prime minister.

Investigating Officer Mohsin Haroon and Case Officer Waqar ul Hasan submitted Toshakhana reference to the Accountability Court’s Registrar’s Office in Islamabad. In this two-volume reference sent after the approval of Chairman NAB, founder PTI and Bushra Bibi have been named accused.

The list of 22 witnesses has also been submitted with reference which include Baniamin Section Officer Toshakhana Cabinet Division, Talat Mahmood Protocol Officer Prime Minister House, Additional Director NAB Headquarters Qaiser Mahmood, Assistant Director Mofa Muhammad Fahim, Former Prime Minister’s Military Secretary Brigadier Muhammad Ahmed, ex-PM’s Personal Secretary Inamullah Shah and Director NAB Shafqat Mahmood and the investigation officer Muhammad Mohsin Haroon.

In the case, the founder PTI and Bushra Bibi are now in jail on judicial remand after 37 days of physical remand. The registrar office would send the reference to administrative judge after scrutinizing the documents.

Also, an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Rawalpindi on Tuesday discharged former prime minister Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi in 12 cases related to May 9, 2023, riots.

The hearing was conducted by ATC Judge Malik Ejaz Asif at a makeshift court in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail. The hearing was also attended by investigation officers of the May 9 cases.

At the outset of the hearing, defence counsels gave arguments regarding Bushra’s physical remand, whereas, the wife of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder was represented by her counsel Salman Safdar and Advocate Malik Faisal.

However, the ATC judge rejected the Rawalpindi Police’s plea seeking phycial remand of the former first lady in the May 9 cases.

After hearing arguments from both sides, the court decided to discharge Bushra in the cases.

Speaking to media outside the Central Jail Rawalpindi, Bushra’s lawyer Safdar claimed that the court acquitted her in all cases in which she was nominated in light of different statements.

He added that the court also rejected the prosecution’s evidence during today’s hearing and rejected the credibility of any statement from a co-accused.