The anti-graft body says the vehicle had been surrendered to Toshakhana in 1997, prior to Nawaz Sharif's acquisition of it in 2008.
ISLAMABAD: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-April 17th, 2024) the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Wednesday exonerated former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from any wrongdoing in the Toshakhana reference investigation.
The NAB presented its findings to an accountability court, stating that there was no evidence of Nawaz Sharif using a fraudulent account to purchase a vehicle from Toshakhana.
According to the anti-graft body, the vehicle had been surrendered to Toshakhana in 1997, prior to Nawaz Sharif's acquisition of it in 2008.
In January 2020, during a meeting chaired by then NAB chairman Justice Retd Javed Iqbal, three references were approved against former Prime Ministers Nawaz Sharif and Yousaf Raza Gillani, along with ex-President Asif Ali Zardari. Additionally, another reference was filed against Anwar Majeed and Abdul Ghani Majeed for tax payments on luxury vehicles imported through Toshakhana.
The allegations included accusations that the former president retained luxury vehicles from the UAE and Libya instead of surrendering them to Toshakhana, and that fraudulent bank accounts were used to pay their taxes. It was also highlighted that former Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani exhibited favoritism towards both the president and Nawaz Sharif, allowing them to keep possession of the vehicles.
The Toshakhana issue became a significant point of contention in national politics, particularly after the Election Commission of Pakistan disqualified the PTI chief for false statements and incorrect declarations.
