Imran says plans to sue Geo TV, Dubai-based businessman over 'baseless' Toshakana claims

Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan said on Wednesday he will take legal action against Geo News, its anchorperson Shahzeb Khanzada, and Dubai-based businessman Umar Farooq Zahoor “for slandering him through a baseless, cooked story.”

On Tuesday, Zahoor had claimed during Khanzada's show Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath that he had bought Toshakana gifts received by Imran when he was prime minister, including a watch he was gifted by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The claims are related to the incumbent government also accusing Imran of corruption and selling gifts that are presented by other nations to the head of state and kept in the Toshakhana.

Zahoor said Farah Khan, a close friend of former first lady Bushra Bibi, along with then special assistant to PM (SAPM) Shahzad Akbar, sold him an expensive watch. He also alleged that he has ample evidence to prove it.

In an affidavit, Zahoor listed multiple gifts he purchased from Farah, who has also been accused of corruption by the present government.

Responding to the claims, Imran tweeted on Wednesday that “enough is enough. Yesterday Geo & Khanzada supported by handlers slandered me through a baseless story cooked up by a known fraudster and internationally wanted criminal.”

“I have spoken to my lawyers and I plan to sue Geo, Khanzada and the fraudster not only in Pakistan but also in UK and UAE,” the tweet read.

PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry on Wednesday also said the party plans to initiate legal proceedings against Zahoor.

He stressed that the watch was worth Rs100 million and Imran sold it for Rs50 million, in line with the law. Fawad also underlined that Imran paid capital gains tax on the proceedings from the watch.

"The law states that 20% of the gift's value should be deposited in the national exchequer. We amended the law and made it 50%," he said.

PM accuses Imran of selling Toshakhana gifts

Chaudhry claimed the gifts were not sold to Zahoor and Farah played no part in their sale.

"The person who bought the watch was not named Umar Zahoor,” he said.

He added that Zahoor was facing criminal charges and his brothers were imprisoned in Norway. He also alleged that Zahoor shifted his family to Dubai on illegal documentation.

Speaking alongside him, former SAPM Zulfi Bukhari added that politicians Asif Ali Zardari and Nawaz Sharif also sold gifts from Toshakahana during their tenures.

"The dealer, who brought the watch from us, sold it at a rate of more than Rs60 million," he said. “The dealer is not in Pakistan right now and PTI has his contact details.”

The Toshakhana case

During his visit to Pakistan in 2018, Saudi crown prince gifted a watch to Imran. Right after the current government assumed office in April, it said that the former PM sold the watch, along with other gifts, from the Toshakhana.

Toshakhana reference: ECP disqualifies PTI chief Imran Khan

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) disqualified Imran in the Toshakhana reference under Article 63(1)(p), which says that an individual is, “for the time being, disqualified from being elected or chosen as a member of the Majlis-e-Shoora (parliament) or of a provincial assembly under any law for the time being in force”.

The ECP said that the former PM submitted a false affidavit and was found to be involved in corrupt practices. The verdict said the respondent had “intentionally and deliberately” violated the provisions contained [in] sections 137, 167 and 173 of the Elections Act, 2017".

As per the verdict, criminal proceedings will be initiated against Imran for misdeclaration. The ECP also ruled that office is directed to initiate legal proceedings and to take follow-up action under Section 190(2) of the Elections Act, 2017.

Imran has challenged the verdict in the Supreme Court.

Back in September, he submitted a 60-page reply in the Toshakhana case, dubbing the case against him as “misleading” and “false” and requesting the electoral body to dismiss it.

In his reply, he disclosed that some 329 official gifts were received when the PTI was in the federal government. Out of these gifts, 58 were received by him and his wife, and only 14 of these gifts were valued at more than Rs14,000 each.

The former PM further maintained that all the details of the gifts he lawfully bought from Toshakhana were duly declared at the relevant forums including the tax returns (filed with the Federal Board of Revenue – FBR) and the wealth statements (filed with the ECP).