Talal Chaudhry Says Toshakhana II Case Was Clear, Punishment Inevitable

By Farzana Chaudhry — Lahore, Pakistan
Federal Minister of State for Interior Senator Talal Chaudhry has stated that the Toshakhana II case was straightforward and that punishment was inevitable, arguing that the accused failed to present a credible defense.
In a statement, Talal Chaudhry said that Bushra Bibi and the founder of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had not retained items such as a dinner set or mobile phones in Toshakhana I, but claimed that Toshakhana II involved a rare necklace allegedly worth billions of rupees, which he said was deliberately undervalued.
The minister emphasized that Toshakhana assets are held by rulers in trust, adding that this trust was allegedly violated in the case. He claimed that the necklace, described as being worth billions of rupees, was retained after paying only a nominal amount.
Talal Chaudhry further said that the case took 14 to 15 months to reach a decision, despite the possibility of a much earlier verdict. While acknowledging the delay, he described the ruling as correct, adding that judicial decisions should be delivered in a timely manner to avoid raising doubts or questions.
He also remarked that in the past, certain matters had internal support, which, according to him, prevented difficulties from arising.