Toshakhana reference: Islamabad court issues non-bailable arrest warrant against Imran Khan

A district and sessions court in Islamabad issued on Monday a non-bailable arrest warrant against PTI chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan after he failed to appear in the Toshakhana case hearing.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal issued the order and instructed police to present Imran in court by March 18.

During the hearing today, Imran’s counsel Khawaja Haris informed the court that his client was not able to appear due to security threats.

After hearing arguments from both sides, the judge reserved his verdict after Imran sought an exemption from appearing before the court in the Toshakhana case.

IHC suspends Imran Khan’s arrest warrant in Toshakhana case

Earlier in the day, a district and sessions court in Islamabad had also issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for Imran in a case related to using threatening language against additional sessions Judge, Islamabad, Zeba Chaudhry.

‘Another assassination attempt’: Asad Umar

Earlier, PTI’s Asad Umar had said that an attempt on Imran’s life failed in November 2022 and “we have confirmed news that his life is still in danger”.

“Another assassination plot is being devised and as per details, this attempt will be made during Imran’s visit to court.”

According to Umar, Imran was being dragged to the courts to ensure the success of next assassination attempt.

“When Imran went to attend previous hearings, the security arrangements collapsed. Hence, we decided that skipping hearings is less dangerous for him than assassination.”

Background of Toshakhana case

Established in 1974, the Tosha­khana is a department under the administrative control of the Cabinet Division and stores precious gifts given to rulers, parliamentarians, bureaucrats, and officials by heads of other governments and states and foreign dignitaries.

According to Toshakhana rules, gifts/presents and other such materials received by persons to whom these rules apply shall be reported to the Cabinet Division.

Lawmakers from the ruling coalition had filed a reference last year against Imran alleging that he had not shared details of the gifts he retained from the Toshakhana and proceeds from their reported sales.

In October last year, a five-member ECP bench had disqualified the former PM in the case.

Toshakhana records made public

On Sunday, the federal government made public the record of Toshakhana from 2002 to 2023 with the details of foreign gifts received by various former presidents, prime ministers, ministers and other important personalities over the past 21 years.

According to the document, former Prime Minister Imran Khan received a diamond gold watch worth Rs 8.5 crore from Toshakhana, got a pair of cufflinks worth Rs 5.670 million, a pen worth Rs 1.5 million and a ring worth Rs 8.750 million.

He also received a box of Oud wood and two perfumes worth Rs 0.5 million without making any payment. It further stated that Imran Khan kept a valuable watch worth Rs1.5 million for which he paid Rs294000.

Here is the Toshakhana gifts’ record since 2002

The document revealed that Imran Khan paid a total of Rs20,017,700 for all the four items.

He also received another watch worth Rs3.8 million by paying Rs705400.

In 2008, according to the document, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif bought a Mercedes Benz car from Toshakhana. In 2008, the price of the Mercedes car was Rs4.255 million of which he paid Rs636,000.