Bushra Bibi moves IHC against NAB probe into Toshakhana

Former first lady requests that NAB refrain from 'taking disciplinary action' until decision made on application

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan's wife and former first lady Bushra Bibi on Friday moved the Islamabad High Court (IHC) agaist the National Accountability Bureau's (NAB) investigation into the Toshakhana case.

The former first lady challenged the summons notices issued by the NAB and requested the court to declare the notices from February 16 and 17 as illegal.

She requested that the NAB inquiry be stopped from being converted into an investigation until a decision is taken on the application in which NAB has also been made a party.

"Until a decision is taken on the application, NAB should be ordered to stop taking disciplinary action against me," requested Bushra Bibi.

The plea has been fixed for hearing on Monday.

Last week, the NAB had summoned Bushra Bibi in the Toshakhana case, arriving at Imran's Zaman Park residence to deliver the notice.

Read Questionnaire sent to Imran in Toshakhana case

Earlier, the accountability watchdog had summoned the PTI chief and his wife to their Rawalpindi office on March 9 for an investigation in the Toshakhana case.

Imran's summons notice was sent to his residences at Bani Gala and Chak Shehzad in Islamabad.

In the notice, NAB accused Imran of selling gifts received during his tenure, including four Rolex watches, an iPhone given to him by the Qatar Armed Forces in 2018, as well as valuable watches and other gifts, which was against the law.

On March 18, Additional District and Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal cancelled the arrest warrants issued against the former premier in the Toshakhana case, allowing him to leave after marking his attendance without being indicted because of clashes between the police and PTI workers outside the Islamabad Judicial Complex.

Imran was scheduled to appear before the sessions court to attend proceedings on a complaint filed by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for allegedly concealing details of the gifts he had acquired from the Toshakhana in his asset declarations.