The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has released a detailed 14-page ruling in the Toshakhana-II case involving Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder Imran Khan, which ruled that further investigation was required. Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb wrote that no legal action could be taken for failing to deposit a Bulgari set in the Toshakhana under the existing rules. The court clarified that according to the 2018 Toshakhana rules, the failure to submit a receipt-not a gift itself attracted grounds for action. It emphasized that prosecuting persons for the failure to deposit gifts is not justifiable in law as no such requirements exist.
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The court pointed out that earlier criminal charges were pressed against Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi for the loss the national treasury incurred a loss of about Rs32.8 million of the undervaluation of the gift. However, as far as the ruling of the court that the recently promulgated rule on the deposit of gifts introduced in 2023 could not be made applicable retroactively was concerned, the judgment added. It further noted that no evidence was available to prove that Imran Khan ever used any coercive measures to exert direct influence over the valuation process, rejecting the prosecution’s claims. One of the witnesses in the case, Sohaib Abbasi, was granted immunity by NAB, but FIA’s stand on the grant of pardon to him is unclear.
While granting bail to the 72-year-old PTI chief, the court remarked that he had already spent more than four months behind bars. The IHC directed Imran Khan to ensure that he is present for all future trial proceedings and warned that failure to do so could lead to cancellation of his bail. The court also noted the case probably would take a while to conclude, as the prosecution already has all the evidence.
A release Order for Imran Khan was issued earlier on November 22, 2024, by Special Central Judge Shahrukh Arjumand after IHC approved his bail. The court confirmed that Imran Khan is not wanted in any other case and that he should be released after Marcus Bonsai submitted Rs 1 million surety bonds from Tariq Noon and Raja Ghulam Sajjad.