Former prime minister and his wife Bushra Bibi on Wednesday were booked in a fraud case registered at Islamabad’s Kohsar Police station for making “fake receipts” in selling state gifts. The case was registered under the sections of fake receipt, and cheating against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman, Bushra Bibi, Shahzad Akbar, Zulfi Bukhari and Farah Gogi. According to the FIR, the accused presented fake receipts for buying and selling Toshakhana gifts and fraudulently used his forged signature for the alleged deal. The complainant, who is a local watch dealer, has claimed that the investigation proved that the accused had prepared fake receipts on his name on a fake letterhead of his shop—that was used to sell Toshakhana gifts. “The accused tried to damage the reputation of my business by creating fake invoices of Toshakhana gifts,” he maintained in the FIR.

Toshakhana reference

The reference, which alleges that former PM failed to share details of the gifts he retained from the Toshaskhana (during his time as the prime minister) was filed by lawmakers from the ruling coalition last year. The Toshakhana issue became a major sticking point in national politics after the Election Commission of Pakistan disqualified the PTI chief for making “false statements and incorrect declaration” last month.

The judgement added that the former premier was found to be indulged in corrupt practices under sections 167 and 173 of the constitution. “A criminal proceeding will be initiated against him over filing a false statement.” “His disqualification under Article 63, 1(P) has been for his current parliament membership”, the ECP said in its 36-page detailed judgment of the reference.

“The amount in his bank account was around half of the value of the state gifts. Imran Khan was bound to declare the cash and bank details in his returns but he didn’t declare it,” ECP decision read. “Khan being declared disqualified and unseated from his National Assembly seat,” the ECP said, adding: “He has been disqualified under Article 63, 1(P), over submitting a false statement and declaration”. Following this, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) launched a probe against former prime minister in the Toshakhana case on March 9.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-INP