Imran Khan and Wife Bushra Bibi’s Remand Extended in Toshakhana Case
An accountability court in Rawalpindi has extended the physical remand of former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, by 10 days in the Toshakhana case. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) presented the couple before the court after their previous seven-day remand expired and submitted a progress report on the newly filed case.
The hearing was attended by NAB Prosecutor General Sardar Muzaffar Abbasi and the investigative deputy director of the case, Mohsin Haroon. During the hearing, the defence lawyer Salman Safdar opposed the extension in remand sought by the anti-graft body’s team. The hearing also witnessed an altercation between the incarcerated former premier and NAB prosecutor general.
Imran Khan argued, “My wife has no links with the Toshakhana, why is she being punished,” adding that Bushra Bibi wasn’t a public officeholder while he served as premier. He further criticized the NAB officials, calling them “sellouts who would do anything for money.”
The NAB prosecutor challenged Khan to buy a complete dinner and tea set for Pakistani Rupees (PKR) 30,000 from Rawalpindi’s Raja Bazar, referring to the state gifts the former PM had received from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
After the completion of arguments, the court adjourned the proceedings until August 8, directing the NAB team to present Imran and Bushra at the next hearing.
The 71-year-old PTI founding chairman has been in prison for almost a year after being booked in multiple cases, including the Toshakhana, cipher, and un-Islamic marriage cases. His wife, Bushra, has also been behind bars for months. Although a court suspended his sentence in the Toshakhana case and other courts overturned his convictions in the cipher and Iddat cases, hopes for their release were dashed when NAB arrested them on fresh charges related to the sale of state gifts. Imran’s chances of release further dimmed after his arrest in new cases linked to the May 9 riots, following his acquittal in the Iddat case.
Doubts Revealed
Imran Khan -: Imran Khan is a famous politician and former Prime Minister of Pakistan. He was also a well-known cricket player before entering politics.
Bushra Bibi -: Bushra Bibi is the wife of Imran Khan. She is also involved in the same legal case as her husband.
Remand -: Remand means that someone is kept in custody, usually by the police, while they wait for their trial or next court appearance.
Toshakhana Case -: The Toshakhana case involves allegations that Imran Khan and his wife misused gifts and items that were meant to be kept in a government treasury called Toshakhana.
Accountability Court -: An accountability court is a special court that deals with cases of corruption and misuse of power by public officials.
Rawalpindi -: Rawalpindi is a city in Pakistan, near the capital city, Islamabad. It is known for its military headquarters.
National Accountability Bureau -: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) is a government agency in Pakistan that investigates and fights corruption.
Adjourned -: Adjourned means that the court has paused the proceedings and will continue them at a later date.