Fresh investigation launched against Imran, Bushra Bibi in Toshakhana case

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has initiated a fresh inquiry into the Toshakhana case, issuing call-up notices to the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and former PM Imran Khand and his wife Bushra Bibi, ARY News reported. NAB Rawalpindi has sent a letter to the Deputy Superintendent of Adiala Jail, requesting their presence for the investigation.

According to ARY News, an Accountability Court (AC) gave 14 years each imprisonment to the PTI founder and his wife Bushra Bibi in the Toshakhana case on January 31.

The verdict was announced by AC Judge Muhammad Bashir, disqualifying the PTI founder and his wife from holding any public office for 10 years and imposing a fine of Pakistani currency (PKR) 787 million Before this, Khan and his foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi were sentenced to 10 years in prison under the Official Secrets Act in connection with the cypher case, as per ARY News. Meanwhile, on February 4, Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi were sentenced to seven years in jail each in a case related to their marriage during the latter's Iddat period, according to Dawn.

However, on April 1, The Islamabad High Court (IHC) suspended a 14-year jail sentence of former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, in the Toshakhana case. Following this, many PTI leaders denied the allegation and stood in support of Imran Khan. Pakistan's Information Minister Attaullah Tarar has rejected former Pakistan PM's allegations against the senior military leadership in connection with the Toshakhana case, calling them "false, fabricated and baseless", Dawn reported recently.

Earlier in the day, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur also said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will topple the PML-N-led federal government whenever party founder Imran Khan instructs to do so, reported ARY News. On April 27, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Omar Ayub Khan also stated while speaking to the media that he would remain loyal to his party and the PTI founder, Imran Khan, come what may, Dunya News reported.

Meanwhile, various protests erupted across Pakistan for the release of Imran Khan. Recently on April 29, PTI organised the 'Train March' in Sukkur, with the party leaders vowing to continue the intensified struggle for the release of party founder Imran Khan and restoration of PTI's "stolen mandate," Pakistan-based Dawn reported.

Several thousand PTI workers and supporters boarded the Awam Express from Karachi, Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas, Nawabshah and all the railway stations on its route to join the train march. Hundreds of others were present at each station to accord a warm welcome to marchers.

Dozens of men and women participating in a number of caravans and rallies which were held in the morning boarded the train from Landhi station, according to Dawn report.