Lahore (Special Correspondent) Lahore High Court has sought details of gifts taken from Toshakhana since 1947.
Lahore High Court Justice Asim Hafeez asked for the details of Toshakhana’s gifts on the request of citizen Munir Ahmed.
During the hearing, the counsel for the federal government told the court that the requested details could not be provided.
However, setting aside this argument, the court directed the authorities concerned to submit the details of gifts taken from Toshakhana since 1947 by January 16.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan is facing charges of alleged involvement in corruption in the Toshakhana gift scandal, which the former prime minister denies.
Recently, another alleged audio leak of Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi regarding Toshakhana gifts came to light, in which she can be heard talking to the former administrator of Bani Gala, the former prime minister’s residence.
The former first lady can reportedly be heard taking pictures of gifts from the Toshakhana arriving at Bani Gala from the former administrator, identified as Inam Khan.
This is the second audio of the former first lady related to Toshakhana that has surfaced. In the first one, he could allegedly be heard talking to PTI leader Zulfi Bukhari about selling the watches gifted to Khan as “they were of no use to him”.
Besides, the hearing of the case related to Toshakhana gifts against former Prime Minister Imran Khan is going to start on January 9 in Islamabad court.
The trial court on November 22 heard the Toshakhana reference filed by the Election Commission against Khan, for alleged involvement in corruption.
Incompetence
In October, the ECP, in a unanimous decision in the Toshakhana reference, disqualified the former prime minister and ruled that the PTI chief was no longer a member of the National Assembly.
The ECP said the PTI chief submitted a false affidavit and was found guilty of corruption under Article 63 (1) (p).
“Considering our aforesaid findings, the facts available on record and the arguments of the learned counsel for the parties, we are of the opinion that the respondent has been disqualified under Article 63(1)(p) of the Constitution. Elections Act.” read with Sections 137, 167 and 173 of 2017, he ceases to be a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan and his seat is accordingly vacated,” the ECP order said.
In the judgement, the ECP also declared that Khan had “made false statements and false declarations, thereby also committing the offense of corruption as defined under Sections 167 and 173 of the Elections Act, 2017”.
It further stated that the offense was punishable under Section 174 of the Elections Act, 2017 and directed prosecution and follow-up action under Section 190(2) of the Elections Act.
