Govt hails gift depository verdict against Imran and wife as lawful

ISLAMABAD: The ruling PML-N hailed the Toshakhana-2 verdict against PTI founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi, with ministers saying the sentence awarded to the couple is in line with the law.

Reacting to the verdict, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the Toshakhana-2 verdict was based on justice, saying state gifts were fraudulently undervalued so a smaller amount was paid to the government and claiming the exchequer suffered losses of millions of rupees.

Tarar said the gifts were assessed at a much lower value through fraud, kept for personal use after causing the state a loss running into millions of rupees, and claimed Bushra Bibi withheld the gifts and took financial benefit.

He also said the sentences awarded in the Toshakhana-2 case would run after the completion of the sentence in the 190 million pounds case, adding that once a 14-year sentence ends, a 17-year sentence would begin thereafter.

Minister of State for Law and Justice Barrister Aqeel Malik said the decision was in accordance with the Constitution and the law, and said the PTI founder and his wife got the Bulgari set assessed at a lower value.

Minister of State for Railways and Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani said depositing the gift in the Toshakhana was mandatory and added fraud was committed by buying the gift for a pittance.

Minister of State for Interior and Narcotics Control Talal Chaudhry said it was good to see the outcome, but added the decisions should have come earlier so those involved would not have had the opportunity to raise questions.

He described the matter as a very clear case in which conviction was inevitable and said there was no defence available to them.

Chaudhry also said that the PTI founder and Bushra Bibi did not leave behind even a dinner set or a phone set, saying a rare necklace worth billions of rupees worldwide was wrongly valued, allowing it to be kept after paying only a small amount.

He said Toshakhana gifts were held by a ruler as a trust and said there had been a breach of that trust. Chaudhry said the case took around 14 to 15 months, but could have been decided within weeks. Staff Report