New Toshakhana case: Court approves 8-day remand of Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi

An accountability court has admitted an eight-day physical remand of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former prime minister Imran Khan and his spouse Bushra Bibi in a fresh Toshakhana case.

The order comes a day after the PTI founder and his wife were acquitted in the iddat case. Yesterday, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) arrested them in a new Toshakhana reference soon after their acquittal.

Additional Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka had a day earlier nixed the couple’s conviction — in which they were sentenced to seven years in prison and awarded a fine of Rs500,000 each after a trial court found their nikah to be fraudulent as Khawar Maneka, Bushra’s ex-husband, moved the court against the couple’s marriage.

Soon after the verdict overturning their conviction, a NAB team headed by Deputy Director Mohsin Haroon arrested the couple in the Adiala Jail in the new reference related to alleged misuse of power for acquiring Toshakhana gifts.

Meanwhile, the federal government has issued a notification of a jail trial for a new reference of Toshakhana against former prime minister Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi.

According to the government, the declaration of jail trial for the new reference of Toshakhana was issued under Section 16B of NAB Ordinance 1999.

In a statement, it has been said that in view of the law and order situation, if the NAB court deems it necessary, then founder chairman PTI Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi should be tried in jail.

The PTI founder and Bushra Bibi’s lawyers have been informed about the notification of jail trial.

On the other hand, the NAB team under the leadership of NAB Deputy Director Mohsin Paro has reached Adiala Jail, while Judge Muhammad Ali Warraich of Accountability Court Islamabad has also reached jail to hear the case.

Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi’s lawyers Khalid Yusuf Chaudhry, Rai Muhammad Ali, Advocate Chaudhry Zaheer Abbas and Usman Gul also reached Adiala Jail.