Four witnesses testify in Toshakhana case

ISLAMABAD: Accountability Court Judge Muhammad Bashir Thursday adjourned further proceedings until Friday (today) after recording statements from four witnesses in the Toshakhana case involving Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder chairman Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi.

The hearing took place in Adiala Jail.

Those present in the courtroom included Imran Khan, Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, Latif Khosa, Naeem Panjotha, Umair Niazi, Shiraz Ranjha, NAB Deputy Prosecutor General Sardar Muzaffar Abbasi, Amjad Parvez and Irfan Bhola. The Imran’s sisters were also there. Bushra Bibi did not appear.

Nine witnesses were presented in court by NAB. Section Officer Binyamin, NAB Additional Director Qaiser Mehmood, SBP Director Sajid Khan, and Assistant Director of the Foreign Ministry Muhammad Faheem recorded their statements in the Toshakhana case.

Speaking informally to the media in the courtroom, Imran Khan said that Amjad Khan was allegedly tortured to prevent him from contesting the election, emphasising the need to protect the party. He expressed concern over Amjad Khan’s critical condition in the ICU, describing it as the worst in the history of Pakistan.

Denying any wrongdoing, the PTI founder shared an incident from August 2022 when former army chief General Bajwa advised him and Shah Mahmood Qureshi to refrain from speaking out.

He alleged that there was a conspiracy to limit their seats and initiate legal cases if they did not ‘comply’. The PTI founder expressed his readiness to sacrifice for the cause and affirmed his commitment to contesting elections.

Addressing the Toshakhana case, the PTI founder accused NAB of being devoid of shame and pointed out alleged privileges granted to Nawaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari. He criticised the closure of Toshakhana cases against them.

He asserted that trust land cannot be owned. The PTI founder defended Bushra Bibi’s role as a trustee and distanced himself from ownership claims, saying that Shaukat Khanum’s assets do not belong to him. He emphasised that not even a single penny is owned by them.

Meanwhile, the anti-terrorism court (ATC) rejected request for physical remand of Imran Khan and sent him to Adiala Jail on a 14-day judicial remand.

The PTI chief is being investigated in connection with 12 cases related to the May 9 violent protests.

The hearing was being conducted in Adiala Jail by ATC Judge Malik Ejaz Asif. Imran Khan’s lawyers as well as seven investigation officers of the case also appeared for the hearing. During the hearing, the PTI founder was produced before the ATC in Adiala Jail on completion of his two-day physical remand.

During the hearing, the investigating officers of the 12 cases presented their report and sought further physical remand for further investigation which was rejected.