Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi challenge Toshakhana 2 conviction in Islamabad High Court

• Couple appeals 17-year sentence over Bulgari jewellery case, calling verdict politically motivated and alleging bias in trial
• Appeals highlight compliance with 2018 Toshakhana Policy and full payment of dues, urging court to recognize Imran not a public servant while Bushra never held any office
• Couple seeks acquittal to restore political and legal rights

ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, on Monday filed separate appeals with the Islamabad High Court (IHC) challenging their 17-year convictions in the Toshakhana 2 case, terming the verdict politically motivated and legally flawed.

The couple, in the appeals filed through Advocate Khalid Yousaf Chaudhry, contended that the conviction was politically motivated, stating: “The overarching objective of the present prosecution appears to be the continued incarceration of the appellant, thereby preventing his participation in national politics and curtailing his political role and influence.”

عمران خان صاحب اور بشری بی بی کو توشہ خانہ ٹو کیس میں سزا سنائے جانے کے خلاف اسلام آباد ہائی کورٹ میں اپیل دائر کر دی ہیں اور استدعا کی ہے کہ ان اپیلز کو عدالتی تعطیلات کے فورا بعد 7 جنوری 2026 کو مقرر کرتے ہوئے ہمیں سنا جائے۔ pic.twitter.com/YiNk7rKmkn

— Khalid Yousaf Chaudry (@KhalidYChaudry) December 29, 2025

The appeals highlighted several procedural flaws. They noted that the case, initially initiated by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), had been transferred to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), and the challan was submitted within two days of investigation. “Such haste left inadequate time for a fair and transparent probe,” the appeals argued. Lawyers also pointed out the absence of any First Information Report (FIR) on record, undermining the investigation’s credibility.

On December 20, a special court had sentenced Imran and Bushra over the purchase of an expensive Bulgari jewellery set gifted to Imran by the Saudi crown prince during an official visit in May 2021. The prosecution argued that the jewellery, valued at approximately Rs80 million, was retained after paying only Rs2.9 million, a fraction of its market value.

توشہ خانہ ٹو کیس میں عمران خان صاحب اور بشری بی بی صاحبہ کی سزاؤں کے خلاف اپیلز دائر کر دی گئی ہیں۔ pic.twitter.com/zujxx9J44w

— Khalid Yousaf Chaudry (@KhalidYChaudry) December 29, 2025

The couple’s legal team further argued that the Toshakhana 2 conviction amounted to double jeopardy, being the fourth prosecution related to Toshakhana gifts. They claimed the bifurcation of cases—selectively prosecuting one set of gifts while deferring or abandoning others—was done to ensure continued incarceration. “The bifurcation of what ought to have been a single, composite trial was undertaken with the ulterior motive of politically targeting the appellant,” the appeals read.

A key point of contention in the appeals was the 2018 Toshakhana Policy, which governs the reporting and retention of gifts. Clause I mandates that all gifts received must be reported and deposited, while Clause VI allows retention of gifts above Rs30,000 after paying 50% of the value exceeding the exemption. The appeals argued that Imran and Bushra had complied fully with these rules, making the conviction legally untenable.

The appeals also addressed the alleged criminal breach of trust charges. Lawyers argued that such charges require dishonest misappropriation of property entrusted to a person acting as a public servant, which they asserted did not apply to Imran Khan or Bushra Bibi. The appeal noted that Imran did not fall under the definition of a public servant as per Section 21 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), and that Bushra, as a housewife, had never held public office.

بانی پی ٹی آئی عمران خان اور بشری بی بی کی اپیلوں پر ڈائری نمبر لگا دیے گئے

بانی پی ٹی آئی عمران خان کی اپیل پر ڈائری نمبر 24560 جبکہ بشری بی بی کی اپیل پر ڈائری نمبر 24561 لگایا گیا

خالد یوسف چودھری ایڈوکیٹ کے ذریعے اپیلیں دائر کی گئیں pic.twitter.com/NFaeJBsMAe

— Awais Yousaf Zai (@awaisReporter) December 29, 2025

“The learned trial court misread and misapplied the Toshakhana Policy and Rules,” the appeals argued, adding that the prosecution had failed to establish guilt beyond reasonable doubt. Paragraphs in the judgment that sought to categorize Imran as a public servant relied on vague precedents from 1957 and 1961, which the appeals described as legally unsustainable.

Imran and Bushra requested the IHC set aside the December 20 judgment and acquit them of all charges in the Toshakhana 2 case. The appeals come after the couple was indicted last December, and in October 2025, they had denied all allegations, calling the case a fabricated political attempt to disqualify Imran from politics.

Imran Khan, imprisoned since August 2023, is serving a 14-year sentence in a £190 million corruption case and faces additional trials under the Anti-Terrorism Act related to the May 9, 2023 protests.

Bushra Bibi is also serving a seven-year sentence in the same corruption case. The couple’s legal team has emphasized that the Toshakhana 2 case should not be allowed to impede Imran Khan’s political participation or violate fundamental legal principles.