Pak minister rebuts Imran Khan’s 'fabricated, baseless' allegations about Toshakhana case

ISLAMABAD: Asenior Pakistani minister on Sunday rebutted former prime minister Imran Khan’s allegations against the top military brass in connection with the Toshakhana corruption case, saying his claims were “false, fabricated and baseless.'' The 71-year-old former cricketer-turned-politician had alleged that the senior military leadership “implicated” him and his wife Bushra Bibi in the Toshakhana corruption case “in an attempt to stifle my spirits”.

The beleaguered couple were sentenced to 14 years in jail each by an accountability court on January 31 for corruption in state gifts they got from the state depository, days before the February 8 elections.

On April 1, a high court suspended the 14-year sentence handed out to Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi in the Toshakhana corruption case.

On Saturday, a post shared on Khan's official account on X gave a transcript of his conversation with reporters at the Adiala Jail.

Khan claimed that the senior military leadership was “driving the state affairs”.

The PTI founder, referring to a “London Plan” — which he has also spoken about on previous occasions — alleged that it was “plotted with the nexus” of the current army chief and former premier Nawaz Sharif, and “to execute it, judges were on-boarded, and they were appointed by the (spy agency) Inter-Services Intelligence”.

The former premier claimed that he had also relayed a message to the military leadership through then-president Arif Alvi that he knew about the so-called “London Plan” and that “we are not your enemies”.

Responding to his allegations, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Sunday that they stemmed “from a state of panic and despair”, Dawn newspaper reported.

“Totally false, fabricated and baseless allegations without any proof or evidence,” the minister said in a post on X.

“(Imran Khan) and his spouse have both been involved in the Toshakhana heist, audios have proven the level of involvement in corruption and embezzlement,” Tarar asserted.

“Attacks on state institutions like the one on May 9 and running disrespectful campaigns against martyrs have been his policy,” he stated, adding that the “truth cannot be concealed through propaganda and blatant lies”.

The minister said a “state of panic” at the Adiala jail was evident from Khan’s statements.

Toshakhana is a department under the cabinet division in Pakistan that stores gifts and other valuables received by officials. The officials must report all the gifts they receive to the department.

Khan was lodged in Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi while Bushra Bibi, convicted in two different cases, was incarcerated at the Bani Gala home after it was declared a sub-jail.