PTI founder, Bushra Bibi to challenge conviction in Toshakhana-2 case

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, have decided to challenge their convictions in the Toshakhana-2 case.

According to sources, both will file separate criminal appeals against their convictions in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday. The appeals will be filed through their counsel, Barrister Salman Safdar, seeking to have the verdict set aside.

In the appeals, it has been argued that the prosecution failed to prove its case against Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi. The petitions maintain that an individual cannot be punished multiple times for the same offence and that the Special Judge (Central) did not have the lawful jurisdiction to hear the case.

The petitions further claim that Imran Khan was removed from office as part of a “well-orchestrated political conspiracy” and that both he and his wife have been subjected to unprecedented political victimisation. It was alleged that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and later the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) acted with mala fide intent and allowed their investigative machinery to be misused by political opponents.

According to the appeals, there was no violation of the Toshakhana Policy, 2018. The gifts received by Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi were duly declared and deposited with the Toshakhana of the Cabinet Division, and the required amount—50 percent of the value exceeding the exemption limit of Rs30,000—was paid for their lawful retention.

The petitions also challenge the prosecution’s conduct, arguing that Sohail Abbasi, who should have been named as an accused, was instead made an approver without being arrested, granted bail, or following the mandatory legal safeguards for granting pardon.

It was further argued that even if the statements of prosecution witnesses Syed Inamullah Shah and Sohail Abbasi are accepted, they indicate that Inamullah Shah allegedly brought the jewellery set for undervaluation purposes. Despite being a key participant in the alleged transaction, he was neither named as an accused nor arrested, but was examined merely as a prosecution witness.

The defence termed this a selective and discriminatory approach, reflecting mala fide intent and political victimisation—an aspect they say was overlooked by the trial court.

Notably, a special court last week sentenced Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi to 17 years’ imprisonment in the Toshakhana-2 case.