In a significant revelation during the Toshakhana II case, a key witness has claimed that former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, instructed him not to deposit gifts received from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman into the Toshakhana, as required by law.
Former military secretary Brigadier (retd) Muhammad Ahmad provided a confessional statement to the court, detailing that the gifts, which included a Bulgari jewellery set, bottles of oud, olive oil, dates, and a book, were never officially registered in the Toshakhana.
The gifts were handed over during the Saudi visit in May 2021, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was formally informed about them. Ahmad confirmed that the items were photographed under official protocol in the presence of Ministry representatives, and the Prime Minister’s Office was notified.
While Bushra Bibi deposited Rs2.9 million in exchange for the gifts, Ahmad explained that the Toshakhana Section raised no objections. The deputy military secretary was responsible for handling the valuation and communication with Toshakhana, following the then Prime Minister’s orders.
However, officials from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) have challenged this, claiming that the Bulgari jewellery set, valued by a private appraiser at Rs5.9 million, was significantly undervalued. The set, which included a necklace, bracelet, earrings, and a ring, was allegedly worth Rs75 million.
According to Ahmad, the jewellery’s undervaluation occurred under pressure from Bushra Bibi’s former personal secretary, Inamullah Shah, who coerced appraiser Sohaib Abbasi into lowering the price. Abbasi later admitted to the court that he feared repercussions and reduced the valuation out of fear of blacklisting.
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) claims the undervaluation of the set led to a loss of approximately Rs35 million to the national exchequer. Additionally, the NAB reference states that Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi received 108 gifts from foreign dignitaries during his tenure but failed to deposit the Saudi Bulgari set in Toshakhana as required by law.
