Tag: Toshakhana

  • Arrest warrants issued for Imran Khan in two more cases

    Arrest warrants issued for Imran Khan in two more cases

    An Accountability Court in Islamabad on Monday issued arrest warrants for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan in cases pertaining to the Toshakhana and 190-million-pound Al-Qadir Trust. 

    The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) filed an application to comply with the arrest warrants of Chairman PTI.

    Judge Mohammad Bashir conducted the hearing on the two cases where NABfiled an application seeking Khan’s arrest warrants.

    Judge Bashir approved the issuance of the warrants while directing the jail superintendent to take measures to ensure the warrants were complied with.

    Deputy Prosecutor General NAB Sardar Muzaffar Abbasi, Prosecutor Irfan Bhola, Investigation Officers Mohsin, Waqarul Hasan, Mian Umar Nadeem, and others appeared before the court.

    The court asked the prosecutor what the High Court did in these cases.

    To which the prosecutor replied that the matter was pending, mentioning that the court neither suspended the order nor issued a standing order.

    The warrants are expected to be complied with in jail today. Imran Khan will be provided with a copy of the warrant as well as briefed about the reasons for his arrest.

    Sources said that the NAB has decided to immediately arrest Khan after the issuance of his arrest warrants, as per Aaj News.

    The anti-graft body is likely to arrest the PTI chief today from Adiala jail where a team including investigation officers of the Bureau will arrive to ensure compliance with the warrants, they added.

    The former prime minister is currently being held in Adiala jail after his arrest from his Zaman Park residence in Lahore on August 5.

    He was moved to the prison on September 26 from Attock jail where he was initially kept after his arrest.

    Bushra Bibi in trouble

    Earlier today, former First Lady Bushra Bibi was summoned by NAB in a £190 million case, and as per media reports her arrest could be on the cards.

    Bushra was summoned at 2 pm to the NAB office in G-6 in Islamabad. Farhat Shahzadi, alias Farah Gogi, a former close aide of Bushra, has also been summoned in the same case today.

    Moreover, NAB also provided Bushra Bibi with an 11-point questionnaire in the Al-Qadir Trust case. 

    During her appearance in the NAB office, Bushra Bibi was questioned about Farah Gogi.

    The questionnaire given to her also included queries about her relations with Farah Gogi, the reasons for creating Al-Qadir Trust, whether she took any courses in jurisprudence or pedagogy, whether she continued to receive benefits from Al-Qadir Trust as a teacher, whether she was satisfied with Farah Gogi’s financial affairs and if Malik Riaz himself showed interest in Al-Qadir Trust or she contacted him. 

  • Nawaz Sharif gets green signals from courts; three bails granted

    Nawaz Sharif gets green signals from courts; three bails granted

    The Islamabad High Court (IHC) approved the request of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Nawaz Sharif on Thursday, providing him with bail in the Avenfield and Al-Azizia cases until October 24.

    In July 2018, Nawaz Sharif, who had been removed from office, received a 10-year prison sentence in the Avenfield properties corruption case, for assets that exceeded his known income, and an additional one-year sentence for failing to cooperate with the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

    In the Al-Azizia Steel Mills corruption case, he was handed a seven-year prison term and subsequently taken to Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi.

    On the other hand, an accountability court has deferred the arrest warrant of PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif in the Toshakhana case, as the NAB raised no objections.

    The court announced the decision after reserving a verdict on Nawaz’s petition seeking postponement.

    A day earlier, the former prime minister filed a petition in an accountability court to restrict authorities from arresting him on his return to the country on October 21.

    During today’s hearing, Nawaz Sharif’s lawyer, Qazi Misbah, requested the court to suspend the arrest warrant as he is coming back to Pakistan and wants to appear before the court himself.

    The legal team of PML-N supremo has also filed a bail petition in Islamabad High Court (IHC) to prevent officials from arresting him on October 21.
    During the hearing, Qazi Misbah argued that Nawaz Sharif wanted to appear before the court on October 24, telling the judge that his client was not well, which is why he didn’t appear before the court.

  • Nawaz Sharif’s legal team all set to file protective bail

    Nawaz Sharif’s legal team all set to file protective bail

    Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s legal team is gearing up to file three petitions seeking protective bail in the Avenfield, Al-Azizia, and Toshakhana cases.

    These petitions are expected to be submitted to the Islamabad High Court (IHC) as per sources of Dawn’s reporter Malik Asad.

    It is pertinent to mention that Nawaz Sharif is set to address a public gathering at Minar e Pakistan on October 21, after spending almost four years in the UK for his ‘medical treatment’.

    Nawaz Sharif had previously faced convictions in the Avenfield and Al-Azizia references, along with being declared a proclaimed offender in the Toshakhana case, which is currently being heard in an accountability court in Islamabad. During his time abroad, he had been granted bail in these cases.

    The decision to approach the IHC for protective bail appears to have been influenced by prior instances where the court had granted protective bail to individuals who were declared proclaimed offenders, including Sharjeel Inam Memon, Arbab Alamgir, and Asma Arbab, without the requirement of surrender beforehand.

    Sources close to the proceedings disclosed that there would be at least two court hearings – one before Nawaz Sharif’s return and another where he would surrender himself before the court.

    Following this surrender, he would be required to pursue pending appeals against his convictions in the Avenfield Apartment and Al-Azizia references, as well as address the ongoing Toshakhana vehicle case.

    The Toshakhana case, previously put on hold under NAB amendments, was reopened following a Supreme Court ruling to revive corruption cases.

    In 2018, Nawaz Sharif was convicted in two cases – the Avenfield Apartments and Al-Azizia references. However, he was acquitted in the Flagship reference. The late Judge Arshad Malik, who presided over the Al-Azizia reference, later claimed to have authored the judgment under duress.

  • Bushra Bibi gets bail in Toshakhana, Al-Qadir Trust cases

    Bushra Bibi gets bail in Toshakhana, Al-Qadir Trust cases

    Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi has been granted interim bail by an accountability court in Islamabad while barring the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) from arresting her in the Toshakhana and GBP 190-million Al-Qadir Trust cases.

    Bushra Bibi appeared in the court of duty Judge Raja Jawab Abbas along with her counsel Latif Khosa for pre-arrest bail.
    The interim bail was granted in exchange for bonds worth Rs500,000 in each case and the hearing was adjourned till October 31.

    ATC adjourns hearing on bail:

    The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) of Islamabad has postponed the bail hearing for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan in three separate cases until October 24.

    These cases, two of which were registered at the Khanna police station and one at Bhara Kahu, require the court to carefully examine the details of each case. The court requested the relevant records for further review.

    During the hearing, Imran Khan’s lawyer, Salman Safdar, appealed for the production orders of his client, emphasizing that the Islamabad High Court had reinstated the bail applications, making Khan’s appearance in court necessary for all three cases.

    Safdar asserted, “Don’t think you have the powers of an Official Secrets Act court also. When a bail application is filed, it is decided on merit. If the court thinks the production cannot be ensured today, then the hearing should be held tomorrow. Whether the client has to be brought by a helicopter or an armored vehicle, it is the responsibility of the prison authorities.”

    Responding to the concerns raised, Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain stated that if the suspect’s appearance posed a challenge, the court would prioritize the bail application where another case was scheduled for the following day. He emphasized that even though the application was for pre-arrest bail, the fact remains that the suspect is currently in jail.

    In response to the lawyer’s request to avoid conducting the bail application hearing within the jail premises the next day, the judge assured him that the appropriate relief would be provided as per the law.

    Cipher Case Updates:

    Islamabad High Court (IHC) has determined that the trial of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan in a cipher case can proceed within the confines of Adiala jail, citing concerns about the leader’s security. Chief Justice Aamer Farooq made the announcement, responding to Khan’s plea challenging the authorities’ decision to hold the trial within the jail premises, under the Official Secrets Act.

    The court directed Khan to take up any reservations he might have regarding the matter directly with the trial court. Khan, whose government was ousted following a vote of no confidence in April last year, had sought for his trial to be conducted in a regular court, rather than within the jail’s confines.

    Citing security as a crucial factor, the court stated, “The jail trial is in favor of the PTI chairman in view of his security,” acknowledging Khan’s repeated expressions of concern about his safety.

    In a related development, PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi also filed a petition in the IHC, challenging his own jail trial. He requested the annulment of the trial court’s order and urged for an open trial. The special court had set the date for the indictment of both Khan and Qureshi in the cipher case on October 17, after the copies of the challan provided by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) were shared with the accused’s counsels.

    In response to the developments, Khan’s lawyer, Latif Khosa, presented arguments highlighting the former prime minister’s concerns and previous legal history. Khosa emphasized that Khan had previously been sentenced to three years of imprisonment in the Toshakhana case, which was suspended shortly after. He questioned the legality of the jail trial, stating that it took place after the judicial remand and that the accused had not been provided with substantial evidence.

  • What does Bushra Bibi want to give Imran Khan in jail?

    What does Bushra Bibi want to give Imran Khan in jail?

    Imran Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, has approached the Islamabad High Court seeking protection for her husband and expressing concerns about his safety in jail. She has requested permission for homemade food for Imran Khan, while his legal team has claimed that his life is in danger.

    The IHC has issued notices to respondents in Bushra Bibi’s case and is considering her request to provide homecooked food to Imran Khan. The court has adjourned the hearing until next week.

    Imran Khan, the Chairman of PTI, has taken his case to the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in an effort to suspend a trial court’s verdict in the Toshakhana case. This move comes after the IHC previously suspended his three-year sentence in the same case about a month ago.

    In August, a trial court in Islamabad found Imran Khan guilty of “corrupt practices” related to concealing details of state gifts and sentenced him to three years in prison. While Additional District and Sessions Judge Humayun Dilawar had ordered the capital police chief to arrest Imran, he was instead arrested by the Punjab police, who took him to the Attock district jail. The Supreme Court later acknowledged “procedural defects” in Imran’s conviction by the trial court, suspending his sentence.

    Following the suspension of his Toshakhana case sentence, Imran Khan was detained in the cipher case and has been in judicial remand, which was extended until October 10. Recently, he was moved to Adiala jail from Attock jail under the IHC’s directives.

    Imran Khan, represented by senior lawyer Sardar Latif Khosa, has filed a petition with the IHC seeking the rectification of the order that suspended the Toshakhana case verdict. The petition requests the suspension of the order until the final appeal decision and also seeks permission to make the state a respondent in the appeal.

    The petition argues that the IHC has the authority to suspend the impugned order and sentence under the relevant sections of the Criminal Procedure Code. It highlights an omission in recording the counsel’s request for suspension of the trial court verdict, which has affected Imran Khan’s rights, including his disqualification from elections by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

    The petition further alleges mala fide intentions on the part of the ECP in disqualifying Imran Khan and mentions attempts to remove him from the leadership of PTI and prevent him from participating in general elections.

    In a related development, the Special Court (Official Secrets Act) handling the cipher case against Imran Khan and former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi is expected to indict both leaders on October 9. The case involves the disclosure of classified diplomatic information.

    During the trial behind bars, the prosecution requested in-camera proceedings, but the judge ruled that the trial would commence after framing charges against the suspects and that proceedings were already being conducted inside Adiala Jail. The IHC rejected the FIA’s request for an in-camera hearing of their post-arrest bail petitions in the cipher case.

  • Toshakhana case: Bushra Bibi gets bail till September 12

    Toshakhana case: Bushra Bibi gets bail till September 12

    An accountability court has granted bail to former First Lady Bushra Bibi until September 12 in the Toshakhana case, in exchange for surety bonds of Rs500,000.

    Bushra Bibi has been accused of keeping a locket, chain, earrings, two rings, and a bracelet from Toshakhana state gifts.

    According to a report in Samma News, she is also accused of keeping a gold and diamond necklace and bracelet, as well as gold and diamond ring, earrings, and bracelet.

    According to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), the gifts were not given to the Toshakhana for fair price calculation.

  • ‘What the trial court did was wrong’: Chief Justice IHC

    Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Aamer Farooq said on Friday that the trial court which convicted Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan in the Toshakhana case, “did wrong”.

    The judge made these remarks during the hearing of Imran Khan’s appeal challenging the Toshakhana judgment. It should also be remembered that Imran is already in Attock jail, serving a three-year sentence.

    CJ Farooq and Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri are part of the bench hearing the appeal of the suspension of Imran Khan’s sentence in the Toshakhana case.

    The Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) lawyer, Amjad Parvez, was absent from today’s hearing. His assistant said that Amjad is unwell.

    His assistant advocate also asked the bench for an adjournment, saying, “For the last eight months, we never sought adjournment.”

    At this point, the IHC chief justice said, “The request for suspension of sentence is now at a critical stage. We can also do what the trial court did, but we will not.”

    “We adjourn the case till Monday, and even if no one comes, we will announce our decision,” Justice Farooq said, adding that what the trial court had done was wrong.

  • JIT to conduct forensic test of audios linked with Bushra Bibi

    JIT to conduct forensic test of audios linked with Bushra Bibi

    The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) has decided to test two audios alleged to feature the voice of former first lady Bushra Bibi, in the ToshaKhana case. On Tuesday, the JIT decided to conduct a forensic test of audios as during the investigation, Bushra Bibi has denied that it was her voice.

    The JIT is currently investigating the ToshaKhana case against former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi.

    In Bushra Bibi’s recent appearance before the JIT, two audio clips were played for her. After hearing the audio clips, she said that the voice was not her’s.

    In one of the recordings, she is allegedly heard reprimanding someone for taking pictures of the things being brought from Toshakhana to Banigala House. In the second recording, she is talking to the then assistant to the prime minister, Zulfi Bukhari, about the watch at the center of the case, gifted by Saudi Arabia to Imran Khan when he was Prime Minister.

    These audios went viral on social media platforms, igniting a conversation about how involved Bushra Bibi was in the matter.

    It should be noted that Bushra Bibi appeared before the JIT on August 15 and was questioned for 20 minutes. She responded to each of the 20 questions asked by the JIT.

  • Judge in Toshakhana case denies he posted against Imran Khan on his Facebook page

    Judge in Toshakhana case denies he posted against Imran Khan on his Facebook page

    Justice Humayun, the judge presiding over the Toshakhana trial, has disowned anti Imran Khan posts made on his Facebook page when he was sensationally shown the social media material by the former Prime Minister’s lawyers.

    Imran Khan’s lawyer, Gohar Ali, showed the Facebook posts in court to argue that the Judge should not be hearing the case. In reply, Justice Humayun admitted that the Facebook page was his, however, he denied making the posts.

    He also asked the PTI lawyer if he thought that a judicial inquiry should be made about the Facebook posts.

    Gohar Ali replied that it was upto the judge to send the posts through a judicial inquiry, but stressed that it was appropriate if the court did not continue to hear the case.

    The court reserved it’s verdict on the plea as well as another plea by Imran Khan to exempt him from in-person hearings.

  • Oops! Imran will be formally charged in Toshakhana case next week

    Oops! Imran will be formally charged in Toshakhana case next week

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan will be inducted in the Toshakhana case on May 10 (Wednesday), a judge of the Islamabad District and Sessions Courts Additional Sessions decided on Friday.

    The court also summoned Khan on May 10 to appear in person before the court, rejecting both applications by Imran Khan while giving a verdict in favour of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

    PTI’s lawyers argued that the court can’t directly hear the Toshakhana case. However, the verdict was served.

    Recently, Khan got an extension in bail from Islamabad High Court (IHC) in multiple cases.

    Toshakhana has been at the center of a political storm since 2021 when Khan was accused of hiding details of state gifts he received during his tenure. A case and an investigation pertaining to the same are currently going on.

    Last year, ECP disqualified the PTI chief as a Member of the National Assembly (MNA) in the case after he was found involved in corrupt practices under Article 63(1)(p).