File photo of Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Tuesday summoned Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, on March 9 to participate in an ongoing inquiry related to alleged non-disclosure of assets retained by them from the Toshakhana.
“The competent authority has taken cognizance of an offense allegedly committed by the accused persons under the provisions of NAO, 1999,” read the notice issued to the former prime minister and his spouse with regards to the alleged non-disclosure of the actual value of the gifts. It said that initial inquiries had found that Khan had retained several state gifts presented to him by foreign dignitaries during his time as prime minister and was seeking a statement from him on this matter in Islamabad.
According to the notice, the gifts in question include, but are not limited to, Rolex wristwatches; an iPhone; cufflinks; unstitched clothing; and a “unique” Graff gift set that included a wristwatch, a gold-and-diamond-encrusted pen, a ring, cufflinks with a micro-painting of Mecca.
NAB initiated its inquiry into the Toshakhana gifts on Nov. 19. However, there has been little visible movement in the case since then. The summons issued on Tuesday occurred hours after Aftab Sultan resigned as the NAB chairman, reportedly over a refusal to bow to pressure on his job.
Earlier, an Islamabad sessions court deferred the indictment of Imran Khan in the Toshakhana case after the PTI chief’s lawyer sought another exemption from personal appearance on medical grounds. Granting the exemption, Additional District and Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal instructed Khan to appear before it in person on Feb. 28, stressing the case had been delayed several times already.