Pakistan: Former PM Imran Khan evades arrest in Toshakhana case

On Sunday (March 5), the Islamabad police tried to arrest former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan for ignoring courtroom summons on 3 totally different events in connection to the notorious Toshakhana corruption case.

The cops reached the residence of the previous PM, which is situated at Zaman Park in Lahore, however couldn’t discover him. Reportedly, Khan was ‘not available’ when the Superintendent of Police (SP) entered his room.

The Islamabad police mentioned that they had been solely implementing the courtroom’s orders and that regulation was equal for all in Pakistan. The cops additionally warned the political supporters of Imran Khan of arrest in the event that they tried to impede them from finishing up their responsibility.

اسلام آباد پولیس اپنی حفاظت میں عمران خان کو اسلام آباد منتقل کرے گی۔ قانون سب کے لیے برابر ہے۔
2/2#ICTP

— Islamabad Police (@ICT_Police) March 5, 2023

The Islamabad police sought assist from the Lahore police to facilitate the arrest of Imran Khan. Islamabad Inspector General of Police (IGP) Akbar Nasir mentioned, “Police’s work is to implement court orders and keep the law and order situation intact. We will try our best that he comes with us.”

On February 28 this 12 months, the Additional District and Sessions courtroom (Islamabad) issued a non-bailable arrest warrant towards Khan for lacking in-person appearances thrice within the toshakhana case.

Judge Zafar Iqbal had ordered, “The accused is making a pick and choose for courts and cases and this case is not included in his priority. The accused be summoned through a non-bailable warrant of arrest for March 7.”

made PM. He has since proceeded to pick out heads of these establishments investigating his instances – first FIA & now NAB – merely to get his identify completely cleared in Rs 16 bn corruption & Rs 8 bn cash laundering instances towards him. This is how a rustic turns into a banana republic.

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) March 5, 2023

Earlier within the day, Imran Khan dubbed Pakistan a ‘banana republic.’ Targeting PM Shehbaz Sharif, he tweeted, “What future can a country have when crooks are thrust as rulers upon it? SS was about to be convicted by NAB for Rs 8 bn money laundering & by FIA for another Rs 16 bn corruption when he was rescued by Gen Bajwa who kept getting NAB cases trial postponed.”

“While under trial he was made PM. He has since proceeded to select heads of those institutions investigating his cases – first FIA & now NAB – simply to get his name permanently cleared in Rs 16 bn corruption & Rs 8 bn money laundering cases against him. This is how a country becomes a banana republic,” he added.

Meanwhile, PTI leaders resembling Fawad Chaudhry had threatened countrywide protests and alleged that the arrest warrant towards Imran Khan was a part of a conspiracy to take him out. “If they cross the red line, there will be a protest that Pakistan has never seen before,” Chaudhry warned.

Meanwhile, the Pakistani federal authorities had distanced itself from the controversy and claimed that the previous PM was being arrested not on its directives however of the courtroom.

The Background of the Case

In May 2022, the previous Pakistani Prime Minister was accused of retaining presents, obtained by the Office of the Prime Minister from different international locations, both free of charge or at throwaway costs.

As per a report revealed by The Express Tribune, Khan and his spouse Bushra Bibi retained 112 valuables that had been gifted to the PM’s Office between August 2018 and December 2021. The duo obtained 52 of the gadgets price PKR 800200 with out ‘paying a single penny’.

The former Pakistani Prime Minister retained the remaining 60 valuables price over PKR 141 million by paying a complete of PKR 38.17 million. The Express Tribune reported {that a} PKR 85 million Graff wristwatch gifted by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman was retained by Khan for a sum of PKR 20 million.

Besides the non-declaration of Toshakhana presents in tax filings and the agency resolve to withhold info, Imran Khan has been accused of promoting valuables that he obtained as Prime Minister.

Tax returns and earnings of Imran Khan, graphic through Fact Focus

He additionally paid simply PKR 754,000 for a Rolex watch valued at PKR 3.8 million. The particulars of all presents obtained by Imran Khan, throughout his tenure because the Prime Minister, had been maintained by a division of the Cabinet Division often known as Toshakhana.

Imran Khan has nevertheless defended his resolution to retain valuables from Toshakhana by claiming “Mera Tohfa, Meri Marzi (My gifts, my choice).” He claimed that he had paid 50% of the worth of the presents.

In October 2022, he was disqualified by the Election Commission of Pakistan over the Toshakhana controversy. It should be talked about that the Islamabad High Court had earlier famous that presents obtained by the Office of the Prime Minister can’t be retained by him after vacating workplace.