A Pakistani court indicted imprisoned former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife on fresh charges of illegally selling state gifts on Thursday.
The indictment was the latest in dozens of cases against the 72-year-old former cricket star, who has been in jail since late last year.
It relates to allegations that Khan and Bibi illegally sold state gifts worth over PKR 140 million ($501,000) during Khan's tenure as prime minister from 2018 to 2022.
The gifts allegedly included diamond jewelry and seven luxury watches, six of them Rolexes, with the most expensive valued at PKR 85 million ($305,000).
Among the accusations in the latest Toshakhana 2.0 case is the retention of a Bulgari jewelry set during a visit to Saudi Arabia in May 2021.
A torn paper with a picture of former prime minister Imran Khan lies on the floor of a polling station after polls closed, during the general election, in Lahore, Pakistan, February 8, 2024.
REUTERS
The case was transferred to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on September 9 following a Supreme Court ruling on the NAO ordinance, which determined that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) lacked jurisdiction since the value of the gifts was below the PKR 500 million threshold.
During proceedings held inside Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, Special Judge Central Shahrukh Arjumand read the charge sheet to the accused in their presence. Both Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi denied the charges brought against them by the court.
The hearing has been adjourned until December 18.
Earlier this month, Khan was also indicted on charges of inciting attacks against the military, a case stemming from deadly anti-governmental rallies led by his party last year.
Bibi also led a deadly protest march by thousands of supporters in the capital Islamabad on Nov. 25, escalating a face-off with the government and its military backers.
Khan has been fighting court cases since he was ousted from power in 2022. He and his party say the cases were made up to keep him out of politics.
—Reporting by Ali Hamza. Additional input from Reuters.
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