By ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday suspended the sentences of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chief Imran Khan and his spouse Bushra Bibi in the Toshakhana case.
According to media reports, IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq announced the decision, indicating that the appeal against their conviction would be scheduled for hearing post the Eid holidays.
The decision followed Accountability Court Judge Muhammad Bashir’s earlier sentencing of Imran Khan and Bushra to 14 years in prison with rigorous punishment in the Toshakhana reference in January. The judge had also imposed a 10-year disqualification on the former prime minister and levied a hefty fine of Rs1.57 billion, amounting to Rs787 million each for the couple.
During the hearing, Khan reiterated that his wife was unjustly implicated in the case, stressing her innocence and the humiliation she faced by being dragged into it.
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Meanwhile, Chief Justice Farooq shed light on the ongoing proceedings, signifying that the cipher case was nearing completion and expressing uncertainty regarding the duration of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA)’s arguments in the case. Consequently, the court decided to postpone the Toshakhana case until after the Eid holidays.
It is pertinent to note that prior to this development, a court had sentenced Khan and PTI leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi to 10 years’ imprisonment in the cipher case.
Toshakhana Reference
The Toshakhana reference, filed by National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on December 19, 2023, revolves around Imran Khan and Bushra’s retention of the Graff Jewelry set gifted by the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia during a visit to Riyadh. Allegations state that the couple retained the gift without due assessment and violated Toshakhana procedures.
The reference further accuses them of undervaluing the assessment of the jewelry set and retaining it against a meager payment, based on an undervalued price assessment.
