Tosha Khana reference: NAB court summons Nawaz Sharif through advertisement

By News Desk

ISLAMABAD: An accountability court on Tuesday gave former prime minister Nawaz Sharif until August 17 -- his last chance -- to submit a response in the Tosha Khana vehicles reference, as it summoned him through an advertisement.

AC-III Judge Asghar Khan’s court has started the process to declare Nawaz Sharif as an absconder due to his continuous absence from proceedings. The court observed that Sharif was “deliberately” avoiding appearing in the case. The court gave the last opportunity to the accused to submit his answer in the case.

The trial court also sent bailable arrest warrant for former president Asif Zardari in the Toshakhana case. The bailable arrest warrant can be availed submitting Rs 50,000 surety bonds. The court said if Zardari would not come to the court with one guarantor, then he should be arrested and presented before the court.

It is pertinent to mention that on June 30, the accountability court in Islamabad issued bailable arrest warrants for Zardari and started the process to declare PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif an absconder in the Tosha Khana reference.

The Tosha Khana is the country’s gift depository where any gift given to the head of the state by another country is stored and remains the property of the government unless sold at an open auction. Rules allow officials to retain gifts with a market value of less than Rs10,000 without paying anything.

According to the NAB reference, filed in March this year, when Yousuf Raza Gillani was prime minister, he extended illegal benefit to Zardari and Sharif, allowing them to retain gifts given by various states and dignitaries with an illegal relaxation in rules.