A Pakistan accountability court in Rawalpindi has extended former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi’s physical remand by 10 days concerning the Toshakhana reference case. During the hearing, Khan contended that Bushra Bibi should not be implicated as she held no public office at the time of the accusations. Khan also accused Pakistan’s National Accountability Bureau (NAB) of acting unscrupulously for financial benefits. Bushra Bibi echoed these sentiments, alleging that the NAB continuously files false cases against them. Meanwhile, the NAB’s prosecutor questioned Khan about funds allegedly spent by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on him. More details on the case can be found on Dawn.
This extension follows a series of legal challenges for Khan and Bushra Bibi. On July 13, the Supreme Court of Pakistan overturned a conviction related to their violation of the country’s marriage laws in 2018. A Pakistani court had previously sentenced the couple to seven years in prison for allegedly violating the ‘Iddah’ period in Islamic law. Additional information on this can be found on Jurist.
On August 5, 2023, Khan was found guilty in another Toshakhana reference case involving the sale of state gifts during his term in office. The Islamabad trial court sentenced him to a three-year prison term and imposed a fine, finding Khan guilty of making false declarations of his assets to the Election Commission of Pakistan. The verdict details can be read on Jurist.
Khan faces a cascade of legal challenges, including more than 150 cases linked to an array of allegations ranging from corruption to inciting violence during nationwide riots following his arrest in May 2023. His next hearing in the current Toshakhana case is scheduled for August 8. Read more on the escalating legal troubles for Khan on Reuters.