Imran not cooperating: NAB tells IHC

Courts asks graft buster to send new notice to PTI chief, wife

ISLAMABAD:

The country’s top accountability watchdog has told the Islamabad High Court (IHC) that former premier Imran Khan is not cooperating in its ongoing inquiry into the Toshakhana–gift repository—case.

“[Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief] Imran Khan has been sent a questionnaire and details of gifts he received [from foreign dignitaries during his term as the prime minister], but he is deliberately avoiding the investigation,” NAB Deputy Prosecutor General Sardar Muzaffar Abbasi told the court on Thursday.

A single-judge bench comprising IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq was hearing Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi’s petitions against NAB inquiry into the Toshakhana case.

Imran Khan approached the IHC against NAB’s Toshakhana inquiry on March 30. The former first lady on April 1 also challenged the notices issued by NAB to her on February 16 and 17 and requested the court to declare them illegal.

She also requested the court to stop NAB from turning the inquiry into an investigation until a decision is taken on her application.

On April 3, the IHC issued notices to NAB seeking replies over its inquiry into the Toshakhana case.

On Thursday, NAB told the court that it had issued notices related to Toshakhana gifts to all former cabinet members and not just Imran Khan.  NAB Deputy Prosecutor General Sardar Muzaffar Abbasi told the court that the PTI chief was not cooperating in the investigation.

IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq noted that if the notices had been served in accordance with the rules, this situation could have been avoided. He emphasised the need for NAB to follow the law and rules when issuing notices, stating that accused individuals have the right to defend themselves.

The chief justice asked NAB to send a new notice to the Imran and his wife after fulfilling all the rules

He questioned if NAB had any evidence or the case was solely based on newspaper reports. The court later adjourned the case till April 27 after directing NAB to submit a written reply within seven days.

NAB on November 8, 2022 opened an inquiry against Imran Khan into alleged violation of the Toshakhana rules by the former premier.  NAB came into action a month after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) disqualified the PTI chief as a lawmaker.

The ECP had ruled that Imran had bought gifts given by foreign dignitaries from the state gift depository  but did not disclose the assets in declarations submitted to the commission.