ISLAMABAD – Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) presided over the hearing of bail petitions for former Prime Minister Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi in the Toshakhana (Gift Repository) case.
During the proceedings, Justice Aurangzeb commented that the media thrives on sensationalism, asking, “How else would their business run if they don’t sensationalize?”.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) prosecutor noted that media reports often speculate about court decisions in advance, to which Justice Aurangzeb advised, “Exclude yourself from the media frenzy,”.
He further remarked that claims in the media often exaggerate circumstances, adding, “They say people fell ill intentionally or avoided appearances knowingly,”.
The court questioned the method used to estimate the value of jewelry.
Imran Khan’s counsel, Barrister Salman Safdar, responded that this information would be provided by the prosecution.
The prosecutor revealed that a fabricated receipt case against Bushra Bibi had been filed, with no clear indication of the primary accused in the charge sheet.
The FIA stated that the witnesses, including those promised immunity, had corroborated their earlier statements provided to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
– The gifts in question were acquired following the Toshakhana policy of 2018. Payment was made per regulations at the time of acquisition.
– The case registration was delayed by over three years, and no clear offense is established, making it suitable for further inquiry or granting bail.
– Barrister Safdar highlighted that similar cases have been filed by multiple agencies, including NAB, FIA, and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
The FIA alleged that the gifts were undervalued to harm the state financially and benefit Imran Khan and his spouse. Justice Aurangzeb responded humorously to this argument, saying, “My wife’s belongings are not mine; we must be living in a different world,”.
The court proceedings included queries about witnesses, procedural delays, and the legitimacy of accusations. Justice Aurangzeb noted that the previous government had withheld Toshakhana details, stating, “When we asked, they would hide the information, claiming no one should know about the Toshakhana gifts,”.
The case remained under deliberation, with FIA arguments ongoing.
