Toshakhana case: NAB summons Imran on 22nd

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman failed to appear before a National Accountability Bureau team in the Toshakhana case on Friday.

Initially summoned for Friday, Imran Khan did not show up before the NAB team, and instead, his lawyer submitted a written reply requesting a fresh date of June 19. However, the NAB has set June 21 as the new date for his appearance about the toshakhana case.

The case involves allegations of misuse of authority, criminal breach of trust, and improper handling of state assets by holders of public office and others.

In the summoning notice to the former prime minister, the NAB has requested that he bring relevant records, including details and records of received state gifts, and records of sold state gifts and physically produce the state gifts retained, so their value can be evaluated by experts as per the list previously provided in the call-up notice.

The NAB, in its letter, stated: “Inquiry proceedings have revealed that during your tenure as prime minister, you were presented with 108 gifted state assets, out of which you retained 58 gifts.”

The letter mentioned that Imran Khan had failed to deposit the gifted state assets with the toshakhana for a fair price assessment, contrary to the rules.

It was alleged that he had subsequently abused his position by retaining the gifted assets worth millions of rupees.

According to the call-up letter, as the then-prime minister, he had influenced the process of price evaluation conducted by the government and private appraisers. “Despite being called upon to appear before the NAB team on June 16, 2023, you did not appear on the designated date. Instead, you communicated through a reply, requesting the date of appearance to be shifted from June 16, 2023, to June 19, 2023,” the letter stated.

“You are once again called to appear as an accused before the NAB’s Rawalpindi team on June 21, 2023, at 11 a.m.”

Meanwhile, the NAB has summoned Bushra Bibi as a witness for June 22 in the £190 Million National Crime Agency (NCA) UK settlement case.

Bushra Bibi is being summoned as a trustee of the Al-Qadir University Trust.

Furthermore, the NAB has also summoned Azam Khan, the former secretary to the prime minister, for June 19 about the illegal transfer of £190 million for personal gain.

The case involves allegations against the PTI chairman and others for misuse of authority as public office holders in aiding and abetting the illegal transfer of £190 million.

Initially, Bushra Bibi was summoned on June 13, but she did not appear.

In an ACE inquiry, the former prime minister, his sister Uzma Khan and her husband Ahad Majeed did not appear before the Punjab anti-corruption team on Friday.

The ACE had summoned the former prime minister in the Layyah land case.

According to an ACE spokesperson, there is clear evidence of Imran Khan’s involvement in the land scandal. He advised Imran Khan to appear in person and present his position to the inquiry committee.

A summons notice has been posted on his residence in Zaman Park since Thursday, as stated by the spokesperson.

Uzma Khan and her husband, Ahad Majeed, were also summoned by the Anti-Corruption Department in the corruption case.

The spokesperson said that during the investigation, the tehsildar concerned had revealed that instructions were given from Banigala for the illegal transfer of the area. The illegal transfer was carried out by exerting pressure on local officials, according to the spokesperson.

Earlier, the Anti-Corruption Establishment, Punjab, had initiated an investigation into allegations of bribery in the acquisition of 5,500 kanals of land by Uzma Khan in Layyah.

An ACE director raided the Revenue Office in Chobara and took custody of the land records. Patwari Asghar has been suspended.

According to the tehsildar, Uzma had registered the land in her and her husband’s names. Allegedly, Uzma had purchased the land without possession at a rate significantly lower than the market rate. The land deed was obtained during the tenure of former Punjab chief minister Usman Buzdar through two transfer deeds. According to official records, 5,261 kanals of agricultural land were purchased for Rs.131.5 million. However, only a few lakhs of rupees were deposited with the national treasury through two challans.