Islamabad, May 19: Pakistan’s accountability watchdog has levelled fresh corruption allegations against jailed former prime minister Imran Khan, accusing him of “illegally” possessing and selling seven high-value watches and 10 other precious gifts linked to the state gift repository when he was in power, media reports said on Sunday.
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) launched an inquiry against the 71-year-old Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi over the alleged misuse of the Toshakhana – the state gift repository, The Express Tribune newspaper reported.
The beleaguered former first couple has been convicted in earlier Toshakhana corruption cases as well. In January, Khan and Bushra were sentenced to 14 years in jail each by an accountability court for alleged corruption in state gifts they got from the state repository. The sentence was later suspended by the Islamabad High Court. The previous Toshakhana graft case was filed by the Election Commission of Pakistan in the charges of hiring the sale of state gifts.
The NAB investigation centres on the illegal possession and sale of seven high-value watches and 10 other precious gifts, including diamond and gold jewellery, the report said.
According to the inquiry, items such as Graff and Rolex watches and diamond jewellery were allegedly sold without being legally owned or deposited in the Toshakhana, as required by law.
The Toshakhana is a department under the Cabinet Division that stores gifts given to rulers and government officials by heads of other governments and foreign dignitaries. Under the rules governing Toshakhana – a Persian word meaning “treasure house” – government officials can keep gifts by paying a price, but first, the gift should be deposited.
The gifts were purchased/retained at “considerably lower rates” and were “routinely sold” without properly declaring them. (PTI)
