Toshakhana case hearing: Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan’s indictment in the Toshakhana case has been delayed until March 30, and he was allowed to go back after marking attendance outside the Islamabad Judicial Complex on Saturday (March 18). Khan, the chairperson of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, has been accused of concealing, in his asset declarations, details of the gifts he retained from the Toshakhana — the treasury where presents given to government officials from foreign officials are kept.
It has been alleged that Khan, 70, pocketed $36 million from selling three watches gifted to him, and he never deposited some gifts in the Toshakhana, violating the rule as a prime minister is allowed to retain the gifts only after paying a certain amount.
With his indictment in the case being delayed, here is a look at the latest developments:
> Imran Khan’s indictment has been delayed till March 30 but the hearing in the Toshakhana case is still going on.
> In an audio message outside the judicial complex, Khan alleged that he was waiting outside the court and was not being allowed to enter.
> There was chaos at the Islamabad Judicial Complex where PTI supporters pelted stones at police and the cops resorted to firing tear gas shells to disperse the crowd.
> The violent clashes resulted in several getting injured.
> Before reaching the judicial complex, Imran Khan’s convoy met with an accident and the former prime minister was safe.
> The PTI also alleged that the Islamabad Police were shelling the convoy of Imran Khan unprovoked. “The aim is to create chaos and prevent Imran Khan from appearing in court,” the party tweeted.
> Earlier on Saturday, police broke into Khan’s residence in Zaman Park in Lahore. Footage from PTI showed police beating and arresting his supporters at the property.
> Slamming the police assault at his residence, Khan tweeted, “Meanwhile Punjab police have led an assault on my house in Zaman Park where Bushra Begum is alone. Under what law are they doing this? This is part of the London Plan where commitments were made to bring absconder Nawaz Sharif to power as quid pro quo for agreeing to one appointment.”
> Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah told Geo News that police recovered weapons from the premises outside Khan’s home. Sanaullah also added that law enforcement personnel did not enter the PTI chairperson’s residence, remaining in the garden and driveway.
