- NAB has summoned Khan to its Rawalpindi office on July 17.
- The former Prime Minister is facing allegations of corrupt practices related to Toshakhana.
- Under the latest amendment, the NAB can detain the accused for up to 30 days.
Islamabad: In the latest development in the Toshakhana case against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has changed the status of its probe into the alleged sale of state gift depository gifts to probe. news Reported on Saturday.
The former prime minister is facing allegations of corrupt practices related to the State Gift Depository – charges he denies.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on October 21 last year disqualified the former prime minister in the Toshakhana reference under Article 63 (1) (p) of the Constitution for making “false statements and false declarations”.
He was barred from holding public office after being found guilty of illegally selling gifts to foreign dignitaries and heads of state.
In May this year a trial court rejected a petition challenging the stability of the terms of reference by Khan – the first prime minister to be voted out of office through a vote of no confidence.
Not only this, the court also convicted the PTI chief, who denied all the allegations leveled against him.
The anti-corruption watchdog has summoned the PTI chief on Monday (July 17) to take the report of the probe in his personal capacity.
According to the call-up notice issued on Friday, the Rawalpindi office of the Accountability Bureau said in the light of the evidence collected and statements of witnesses, the inquiry proceedings against Khan were converted into an inquiry by the Authority.
The call-up notice directed the former Prime Minister to appear before the Joint Investigation Team of NAB Rawalpindi at 10.00 a.m. on the said date in person to join the investigation and take the report of the investigation in accordance with Section 18 of the NAPO, 1999 I went.
Meanwhile, a trial court is also proceeding with the case against Khan after upholding the maintainability of the Toshakhana case.
NAB Law Amendment
Significantly, the bureau has got the right to keep an accused in custody for 30 days under a new amendment made in the NAB laws.
On July 4, Acting President Sadiq Sanjrani signed the NAB (Amendment) Ordinance 2023 in the dark of night after the approval of the federal cabinet.
According to the ordinance, the NAB chairman can issue an arrest warrant against the accused for non-cooperation during the investigation.
What is Toshakhana case?
Under the rules governing the toshkhana – a Persian word meaning “treasure house” – government officials can keep gifts if they have little value, while they must pay a dramatically reduced fee to the government for exceptional items. .
The Toshakhana has come under scrutiny after allegations surfaced that Imran Khan bought gifts received as prime minister at throwaway prices and sold them on the open market for huge profits.
The 70-year-old cricketer-turned-politician was accused of abusing his premiership from 2018 to 2022 to buy and sell state-owned gifts, received during foreign trips, worth 140 million ( $635,000).
According to government officials, the gifts included watches given by a royal family who had earlier alleged that Khan’s associates had sold them in Dubai.
The gifts included seven wristwatches, six made by watch maker Rolex, and the most expensive “Master Graf Limited Edition”, which cost 85 million Pakistani rupees ($385,000).
The Election Commission’s order said that Imran is disqualified under Article 63 (1) (p) of the Constitution.
