LHC seeks details of gifts taken from Toshakhana since 1947

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday sought the details of gifts taken from the Toshakhana since 1947.

LHC’s Justice Asim Hafeez sought details of the Toshakhana gifts over citizen Munir Ahmed’s plea. During the hearing, federal government’s lawyer informed the court that the sought details cannot be provided.

However, brushing the argument aside, 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 a scandal regarding the Toshakhana gifts for allegedly indulging in corrupt practices, which the former premier denies.

Recently, another alleged audio leak of Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, over the Toshakhana gifts came to the fore in which she can be heard talking to the former administrator of the ex-prime minister’s Bani Gala residence. The former first lady can be purportedly heard talking to the ex-administrator, identified as Inam Khan, for taking photos of the Toshakhana gifts coming into Bani Gala.

This is the former first lady’s second audio related to Toshakhana that has surfaced. In the first one, she could purportedly be heard speaking to PTI leader Zulfi Bukhari about selling the watches gifted to Khan as “they were of no use to him”.

Moreover, the trial of a case related to the Toshakhana gifts against former prime minister Imran Khan Imran is due to begin in an Islamabad court on January 9. The trial court took up the Toshakhana reference filed by Election Commission against Khan on November 22, for allegedly indulging in corrupt practices.