The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has issued a "call up notice" to former prime minister Imran Khan that he must appear in the bureau's inquiry proceedings on 9th March.
NAB is investigating the Toshakhana Reference case, wherein Khan is alleged to have misappropriated state gifts that he received while serving as Pakistan's head of government.
The notice from NAB to Khan, dated 17th February, states that the PTI chairman must appear before the accountability watchdog to "join the inquiry proceedings" which will ascertain whether any law was broken or not.
The bureau has listed seven items – five Rolex watches, one iPhone and a Graff gift set – as the gifts that Khan received from foreign dignitaries in his capacity of prime minister, but later treated as his own personal property.
Last year, Khan also exclaimed before media that these gifts belonged to him, and he could do whatever he wanted with them.
High-level state visits are couched in diplomatic niceties that have evolved over centuries. Meetings between dignitaries and senior officials usually include an exchange of gifts, as a basic courtesy and an expression of goodwill. However, in modern democracies, such gifts are indeed exchanged between state officials, but are property of the state and belong to the people in whose name those state gifts are received and accepted.
NAB is investigating the Toshakhana Reference case, wherein Khan is alleged to have misappropriated state gifts that he received while serving as Pakistan's head of government.
The notice from NAB to Khan, dated 17th February, states that the PTI chairman must appear before the accountability watchdog to "join the inquiry proceedings" which will ascertain whether any law was broken or not.
The bureau has listed seven items – five Rolex watches, one iPhone and a Graff gift set – as the gifts that Khan received from foreign dignitaries in his capacity of prime minister, but later treated as his own personal property.
Last year, Khan also exclaimed before media that these gifts belonged to him, and he could do whatever he wanted with them.
High-level state visits are couched in diplomatic niceties that have evolved over centuries. Meetings between dignitaries and senior officials usually include an exchange of gifts, as a basic courtesy and an expression of goodwill. However, in modern democracies, such gifts are indeed exchanged between state officials, but are property of the state and belong to the people in whose name those state gifts are received and accepted.