A court in Pakistan’s Islamabad city will announce its verdict on whether to indict former prime minister Imran Khan in the Toshakhana (gift depository) case on February 7.
District and Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal has fixed the indictment date on February 7 after hearing the closing arguments on Tuesday. The cricketer-turned-politician was also ordered to pay a bond of 20,000 Pakistani rupees, reports Express Tribune newspaper.
In October, Khan was disqualified from his National Assembly seat last under Article 63(1)(p) by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) over allegations that he had lied to officials about the gifts he had received from foreign dignitaries while serving as Pakistan’s prime minister.
After months of denial, Khan on September 8 admitted in a written reply that he sold at least four presents he had received during his tenure as the prime minister.
Toshakhana is a department under the administrative control of Pakistan’s Cabinet Division. Established in 1974, it stores precious presents that foreign dignitaries and heads of other governments and nations have given to rulers, lawmakers, bureaucrats, and officials of the country.
Officials on whom these rules apply according to Toshakhana guidelines are required to disclose to the Cabinet Division any gifts, presents, and other similar materials they receive.
Government officials are supposed to declare all gifts but can keep only those below a certain value.
More expensive items must go to Toshakhana, but in some cases, the recipient can repurchase them at around 50 per cent of their value. Imran raised this discount from 20 per cent while in office.
(With inputs from agencies)
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