- Dubai-based businessman Umar Farooq Zahoor claimed he had bought the watch allegedly sold by Imran Khan from the Toshakhana
- Fawad Chaudhry said Imran Khan never sold the watch to Zahoor or is related to him
- Zulfi Bukhari said Zahoor was a fugitive and had made a false valuation
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders have reacted after it emerged that a Dubai-based Pakistani businessman was the alleged buyer of an expensive watch and other items sold by Imran Khan from the Toshakhana.
A private news channel had claimed that an expensive wristwatch gifted by Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman to former prime minister Imran Khan was sold by Farah Khan and Shahzad Akbar to Pakistani-Norwegian Umar Farooq Zahoor.
PTI senior leader Fawad Chaudhry said the businessman who has been presented as the buyer was never sold the watch nor is he directly or indirectly related to Imran Khan.
Fawad said that when no case was found against Imran Khan, it was claimed that Saudi King gifted an expensive watch that was bought from the Toshakhana and sold at an expensive price in the market.
He clarified that a watch worth $5 million (approx. Rs2 billion) was never gifted to any prime minister. He said any official gift received abroad is collected by the protocol officer of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who submits the receipt to the concerned department by depositing it in the Toshakhana.
He maintained Tosha Khan falls under the Cabinet division, where an independent committee decides the price of the gift according to the rules. The market price is determined and the concerned minister or the prime minister is informed, he added.
According to rules before Imran Khan’s government, that gift could be taken as personal property by paying 25% of the price, Fawad said, adding that PTI increased the buying rate to 50 percent.
He said Imran Khan bought a watch from Toshakhana according to the law and declared in his tax returns and election commission reports.
He said the person whom Jang/Geo Group presented as the buyer was never sold the watch nor is he directly or indirectly related to Imran Khan.
جب عمران خان ہر کوئ کیس نہیں ملا تو کیس یہ بنایا گیا کہ سعودی عرب کے بادشاہ نے عمران خان کو مہنگی گھڑی تحفے میں ی وہ گھڑی روزہ خانی سے خرید کر مہنگے دانوں مارکیٹ میں فروخت کر دی گئ، سب سے پہلے تو یہ کہ پانچ ملین ڈالر کی گھڑی کبھی کسی بھی وزیر اعظم کو تحفہ نہیں دی گئ (جاری)
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) November 15, 2022
This fraudster who was on interpol lists went & got valuation done from a corner shop rather than Graff itself. The fake valuation is at 12m. Open challenge let’s go to the makers Graff. It was sold for Rs 5.7 Cr. Yet another fraud and lie by this criminal. It’s a circus. pic.twitter.com/q5JLkjoJLo
— Sayed Z Bukhari (@sayedzbukhari) November 15, 2022
Former special assistant Zulfi Bukari also refuted the valuation done by Zahoor, saying that the “fraudster” wanted on Interpol list got the fake valuation from a corner shop rather than the manufacturer.
He said the fake valuation is at $12 million. He issued an open challenge to get the valuation from the original makers Graff, adding the watch was sold for Rs5.7 crores.
PTI leader Babar Awan said Umar Farooq Zahoor was an ‘absconder’ who has being brought it to lodge another fake case against Imran Khan.
“A fugitive wanted by Interpol has been brought in support of other fugitives,” Babar Awan said, adding that the nation is aware and such tactics will not succeed.
PTI leader Shireen Mazari said a wanted criminal and fraudster testifying in the Toshakhana case shows the desperation of the government to target Imran Khan.
This is really hitting the bottom of the barrel to create a fake case against IK. When nothing else has worked, using a wanted criminal & fraudster to testify in Toshakhana case shows the desperate lengths powerful will go to target IK with help of ‘baghal bachas’ in media. pic.twitter.com/Mpm9GdnPTq
— Shireen Mazari (@ShireenMazari1) November 15, 2022
Dubai-based businessman Umar Farooq Zahoor claimed he was the buyer of an expensive Graff wristwatch gifted by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman to Imran Khan.
Zahoor said he had evidence to prove he bought the rare watch and three other Toshakhana gifts from Farah Khan, a close friend of Bushra Bibi, for 7.5 million Dirhams in cash.
[embedpost slug=”case-registered-against-shahzad-akbar-actress-sofia-mirza/”]
