Islamabad, September 23, 2025 — Former Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, along with his wife Bushra Bibi, has strongly criticized the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), alleging that the anti-graft body is being used as a tool by the country’s establishment and political opponents to keep them out of politics.

During proceedings in the Toshakhana 2 reference, Imran Khan submitted a statement accusing NAB of acting under political influence rather than impartial accountability. He reiterated that his removal from power in 2022 was the result of what he described as a “domestic and foreign conspiracy.” Since then, he claimed, he and PTI leaders have faced an extraordinary wave of political victimization.

According to Khan, dozens of cases were filed against him and his party leadership, yet many of the significant references ended either in acquittals or with their sentences suspended. He questioned why only he and his wife were being targeted in the Toshakhana case, while former prime ministers Nawaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari also allegedly obtained luxury cars unlawfully from the Toshakhana but have faced no serious consequences.

The PTI founder defended his actions during his tenure, stressing that all gifts’ valuations were carried out by officially approved experts, in line with government policy. He insisted that neither he nor his wife had ever influenced valuations or misused their position, adding that accountability for such assessments lies solely with those experts.

Imran Khan further attacked the credibility of key prosecution witness Inam Shah, calling him dishonest and claiming he was under the influence of Jahangir Khan Tareen (JKT) and Aun Chaudhry. Khan alleged that both men were instrumental in efforts to break PTI and weaken him politically, particularly before the February 8 general elections. He argued that the true objective of his conviction before polls was to demoralize PTI’s voter base.

Bushra Bibi, in her written testimony, also categorically rejected the allegations. She stated that she had never received any gift from Toshakhana nor interfered in determining the value of such gifts. As a “pardah-observing woman,” she maintained she never had direct interactions with officials at the Prime Minister’s House or Toshakhana. She accused NAB of dragging her into the case merely because of her marriage to Imran Khan.

She also accused witnesses of being political pawns, insisting that Inam Shah’s testimony against her was fabricated under the influence of Jahangir Tareen and Aun Chaudhry. Bushra Bibi reminded the court that both she and her husband had previously been handed a 14-year prison sentence in another case, which was swiftly suspended by the Islamabad High Court at the very first hearing.

Bushra linked the current reference to the sugar scandal, claiming that Jahangir Tareen, once a close confidant of Imran Khan, turned into a bitter opponent after falling out with him. Later, she alleged, Tareen gained the backing of the establishment to form the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), which PTI sees as a state-backed alternative to undermine its political strength.

As the accountability court prepares to announce its verdict, PTI circles argue that the Toshakhana 2 trial is not an isolated matter but rather part of a broader campaign aimed at removing Imran Khan and his party from the political landscape. They view the reference as another chapter in what they call a systematic effort to silence dissent, neutralize PTI, and reshape Pakistan’s political order ahead of critical future elections.

Supporters of Imran Khan believe that the outcome of this case will have far-reaching consequences, not just for their party but also for the credibility of Pakistan’s accountability system, which is frequently accused of being politicized. For Khan’s followers, the Toshakhana 2 reference represents less a matter of law and more a test of whether Pakistan’s political system allows a level playing field—or whether powerful institutions will continue to manipulate accountability to achieve political ends.