Toshakhana-II case hearing set for today at Adiala Jail

WEB DESK: The hearing of the Toshakhana-II case will take place today at Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi, judicial sources said.

The proceedings will be conducted by Sharakh Arjumand, Special Judge Central. The court is expected to produce Imran Khan, founder of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and Bushra Bibi in the courtroom.

According to officials, the recording of evidence, statements of the accused under Section 342, and final arguments in the case have already been completed. After the prosecution submits its rebuttal arguments, the court is expected to reserve its verdict. There is also a strong possibility that the judgment in the Toshakhana-II case could be announced today.

The case was last heard on October 16, after which proceedings were adjourned three times.

Imran Khan’s counsel, Barrister Salman Safdar, is expected to appear before the court, while Special Prosecutor Zulfiqar Abbas Naqvi will attend along with his legal team.

Meanwhile, Imran Khan’s sisters are also expected to arrive at Adiala Jail to attend the hearing.

Earlier developments

On November 27, Toshakhana-II case against Imran Khan faced another delay, after a scheduled jail trial at Adiala Jail was cancelled for the second time in just over a month. Court officials said a new hearing date would be announced later at the Islamabad Judicial Complex. The prosecution had been due to submit rebuttal arguments, a step widely seen as paving the way for a reserved verdict.

The postponement followed a similar cancellation on October 29, prolonging proceedings that had appeared close to conclusion since mid-October. By October 15, the trial had entered its final phase, with evidence completed and the court moving into closing arguments against Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi.

Presided over by Special Judge Central Shahrukh Arjumand, hearings were held alternately at Adiala Jail and the Islamabad Judicial Complex due to security concerns. The Federal Investigation Agency alleged that the couple illegally retained state gifts, including a Bulgari jewellery set from the Saudi royal family, by paying prices far below market value, causing losses to the national exchequer.

Key prosecution witnesses included appraiser Sohaib Abbasi, who claimed he was pressured to undervalue the jewellery, and Imran Khan’s former secretary Inamullah Shah, who admitted requesting a lower valuation and receiving dual salaries. The case, initially probed by the National Accountability Bureau before being transferred to the FIA, will determine both criminal liability and bail pleas.

Imran Khan has been incarcerated since August 2023 and remains entangled in multiple other cases, including the £190 million corruption reference and trials linked to the May 9 unrest.