The Toshakhana II case against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi has taken a new turn as the statement of former military secretary Brigadier (retd) Muhammad Ahmed has come to light, reported 24NewsHD TV channel Sunday.
Testifying before the court, the retired officer revealed that the PTI founder had instructed him not to deposit the gifts received from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman into the Toshakhana.
According to Brigadier (retd) Ahmed, the gifts included a Bulgari jewellery set, bottles of oud, olive oil, dates, and a book.
He said photographs of all the items were taken as per official protocol, and representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were present at the time of their receipt during the former Prime Minister’s visit to Saudi Arabia from May 7 to May 10, 2021. The Foreign Ministry, he added, had also formally informed the Prime Minister’s Office in writing about the gifts.
The former military secretary stated that despite protocol requirements, he was told by the PTI founder and Bushra Bibi not to submit the gifts to the Toshakhana, which operates under the Cabinet Division. He further testified that the valuation and correspondence related to the gifts were handled by the Deputy Military Secretary on the PTI founder’s orders.
He confirmed that the gifts were later valued at Rs 2.914 million, which was deposited in exchange for items given to Bushra Bibi. However, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) officials disclosed that the original worth of the Bulgari jewelry set alone was approximately Rs 75 million. The PTI founder had instead secured a private appraisal valuing the set at only Rs 5.9 million and deposited Rs 2.9 million into the national treasury.
The jewellery set in question included a necklace, bracelet, earrings, and a ring. Brigadier (retd) Ahmed noted that he had already provided testimony before the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and FIA, emphasising that his tenure as military secretary lasted from May 15, 2020, to April 10, 2022.