Pakistan: Pakistan ex-PM Imran Khan arrested: All you need to know about the Toshakhana case – Times of India
Additional Judge Humayun Dilawar of the Islamabad-based district and sessions judge also imposed PKR 1,00,000 fine on Khan, adding that he would be kept in jail for another six months if he failed to pay the fine.
Khan, 70, was arrested from his residence in Lahore by Islamabad police in coordination with the Punjab police after the court verdict, his family said. In a brief post on the X platform, his party said: “Imran Khan is being moved to Kot Lakhpat Jail.”
Here’s all you need to know about the Toshakhana case:
- 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.
- While PMs or presidents can retain gifts that cost less than PKR 30,000 for themselves, more expensive gifts must be kept in the Toshakhana under Pakistani law.
- As per the rules, it is compulsory for the officials to report the gifts received to the Cabinet division. But when Imran Khan came to power in 2018, he stopped disclosing information on these gifts saying that doing so would severely impact relations with other countries.
- If an official wants to keep the gift, then he or she has to pay 20% of the gift’s value, which Imran Khan raised to 50% in 2018.
- Khan allegedly bought and then sold some of the gifts, including a precious watch, for profit. He also allegedly never deposited some gifts in the treasury.
- The gifts allegedly include seven watches, six of them Rolexes. The most expensive was a “Master Graff limited edition” valued at 85 million rupees ($300,000), according to a list shared by Pakistan’s information minister. Other gifts included perfumes, diamond jewellery and dinner sets.
- In August 2022, the PML-N filed a case against Khan saying that he didn’t disclose information on the gifts presented to Toshakhana, and the proceeds from the ‘illegal’ sale of the gifts.
- The Toshakhana issue over the sale of state gifts received by the former cricketer-turned-politician became a major issue in national politics after the Election Commission of Pakistan disqualified Khan on October 21, 2022, for making “false statements and incorrect declaration”.
- Khan has been convicted of misusing his 2018-2022 premiership to buy and sell gifts in state possession that were received during visits abroad and worth more than 140 million Pakistani rupees ($490,000)
Khan’s arrest and detention for several days in May over a separate case had sparked intense political turmoil and deadly clashes had erupted between Khan supporters and police.
The latest arrest comes in the lead up to an election expected to take place in the next three months.
Pakistan’s prime minister Shehbaz Sharif has proposed that parliament be dissolved on August 9, three days before the end of its term, paving the way for a general election by November.
(With inputs from agencies)
