NAB files fresh toshakhana reference against Imran, Bushra Bibi

Islamabad: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Tuesday filed a fresh Toshakhana reference against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi. The case pertains to a jewellery set gifted by the Saudi crown prince during Khan’s tenure as prime minister.

The new reference comes after NAB officials interrogated the former premier and his wife at Adiala jail, Rawalpindi. NAB investigation officer Mohsin Haroon and case officer Waqar Hassan submitted the two-volume reference to an accountability court.

The accountability court’s registrar will review the toshakhana reference before sending it to the administrative judge. This judge will then decide whether to preside over the case or transfer it to another court. Notably, the administrative judge, Nasir Javed Rana, is already hearing a £190 million reference against Khan.

The couple was previously arrested in connection with a separate Toshakhana case on July 13, 2024, just hours after being acquitted in the iddat case, which had been the last legal hurdle to their release. Despite being granted relief in multiple cases, Khan’s legal troubles have continued to mount, with additional charges related to the May 9 protests being filed against him.

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Details of the New NAB Reference

The newly filed NAB reference centers on a jewellery set, including a ring, bracelet, necklace, and earrings, gifted to Bushra Bibi by the Saudi crown prince during the former prime minister’s visit to Saudi Arabia in May 2021. According to NAB, the couple illegally kept the jewellery, which was never deposited in the Toshakhana as required by law.

The reference further claims that the jewellery set was undervalued, causing a loss of approximately Rs30.28 million to the national exchequer. NAB alleges that the PTI founder and his wife violated the NAB Ordinance by retaining 58 out of 108 gifts received during Khan’s time in office.

The accountability court will soon decide the next steps in this high-profile case, which adds to the growing list of legal challenges faced by the former prime minister ahead of the upcoming general elections.