Islamabad, January 6, 2025: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has issued a detailed 14-page judgment, granting bail to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former Prime Minister Imran Khan in the Toshakhana II case. The court, presided over by Justice Mian Gul Hassan Aurangzeb, concluded that the case necessitates further inquiry before any conclusive legal action can be taken.
According to the judgment, the controversy revolves around the alleged non-deposit of a Bulgari jewelry set, gifted by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, in the Toshakhana by Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi. The prosecution had argued that failing to submit the gift and its receipt constituted a procedural violation and criminal breach of trust, allegedly causing a loss of Rs32.8 million to the national exchequer.
However, the court noted that under the Toshakhana rules of 2018, only the receipt for a gift—not the gift itself—was mandatory to submit. It was established that Imran Khan had indeed submitted the receipt through the Deputy Military Secretary. Therefore, prima facie, the court observed that no grounds existed for initiating action based on the alleged non-deposit of the gift.
The judgment also highlighted that the rules were amended in 2023 by the Cabinet Division, adding provisions for legal action against non-submission of gifts. The court inferred that these changes appeared to have been introduced to address cases like this.
In light of the detailed assessment, the IHC concluded that the matter required further investigation, emphasizing that the case did not warrant immediate criminal proceedings. Consequently, the court approved Imran Khan’s bail and ordered his release.
Both Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi remain accused in the ongoing legal proceedings related to the Toshakhana II case.
