Toshakhana II: NAB to file another reference against Imran

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) is working on another reference against Imran Khan, which is also related to the Toshakhana gifts retained by paying a negligible amount, a NAB official confirmed to The News.

Earlier, the NAB had filed a Toshakhana reference with the accountability court in December last year after the judge had refused further extension in the physical remand of Khan in the case under question.

That reference was in connection with the alleged under-valued purchase of Graff jewelry set gifted by Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman to the former first couple, Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi.

The new reference will be about the remaining gifts that Khan received and retained at a nominal price and which were not accounted for in the previous challan. There were around 108 sets of gifts Khan got and 58 of them were retained by paying an amount that was allegedly far less than their market value. The value of those is being re-assessed to determine the differential between the amount paid and what should have been paid.

According to the rules that were in practice at the time Khan retained the gifts, a committee used to be formed to assess the value when a gift’s worth would turn out more than rupees five lakh. Two persons -- one customs official of BS-16 and one from the private sector dealing with valuable items -- were appointed to determine the value. The one granted gift could retain it by paying 20 percent of the assessed value.

In all likelihood, these appraisers aren’t considered independent enough to make an objective assessment. The rules were later amended by Shehbaz Sharif government under which no state functionaries could retain a gift valuing more $300. The high-value gifts would be deposited in Toshakhana and would be disposed off according to the amended rules.

Also, the fact remains that Khan wasn’t the only head of the government having retained the gifts at a questionable rate. However, he’s the only one who would question the integrity of others but would do the same when the opportunity arose.

Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, as PM, also retained Rs46.5m of the gifts having a value of Rs233m.

When Khan was questioned about this alleged price manipulation, he tried to clear himself of this accusation by shifting the blame to his military secretary. He told the NAB that the gifts were in his custody and he was responsible for making an assessment and that Khan, as PM, never interfered though he didn’t try to verify whether the pricing had rightly been done or not.