PTI Chairman Imran Khan said on Wednesday that he plans to sue the TV channel and the businessman claiming that he bought a precious wristwatch from Pakistan’s Toshakhana.

A dubai-based businessman Umar Farooq had claimed in Shahzeb Khanzada’s show on Geo News, that he had bought a diamond-encrusted Graff watch from Farah Gogi, an aide of former PM Imran Khan’s wife. He showed a watch on TV, claiming that it was authentic and had originally been gifted to then PM Khan by the Saudi crown prince.

Imran Khan has already admitted that he sold the watch and attached gifts during ECP proceedings in the Toshakhana case. He had procured the gifts from the Toshakhana by paying Rs21.56 million, which fetched about Rs58 million in total after sales. Imran Khan has already been disqualified in the reference.

So in a matter where a seller admits to selling and a buyer claims buying, what exactly is the noise about?

The identity of the buyer

PTI’s Fawad Chaudhry said in a press conference on Wednesday that the watch had been sold as per the law to a dealer for ‘over Rs50 million’. He added that the dealer had sold it later for Rs 60 million and that the dealer is not in the country anymore but was known to PTI.

“The law states that 20% of the object’s value must be deposited in the national exchequer. We raised it to 50%,” he said.

However, businessman Umar Farooq has produced an affidavit to prove his claim. He says that Farah Gogi had contacted him through Shahzad Akbar and the watch’s possession was exchanged in person in Dubai. He said he paid Gogi in cash.

Meanwhile, Shahzad Akbar has denied any involvement in the matter.

The value and nature of the watch

A key point of criticism is the nature of the object in question. Not only is the Graff watch encrusted with diamonds but is also illustrated with an image of the Holy Kaaba. It was given to then Khan while he was the premier and on an official visit to Saudi Arabia in 2018. Some believe that selling an object with such strong connections to the holy place is insensitive.

The value of the watch has also been subjected to conflicting claims. Fawad Chaudhry claimed that the watch was priced at Rs. 100 million. However, Umar Farooq’s claims are way higher. The businessman says he bought the watch for $2 million or Rs280 million at the time. However, he added that he bought the items because they were ‘priceless’.

The businessman’s background

As soon as Umar Farooq made his claims, the PTI was quick to respond. One major point of criticism was the businessman’s background.

Fawad Chaudhry said that Farooq had taken his daughters to Dubai on fake documentation. He also said that Farooq is wanted in Norway and Switzerland for bank fraud worth millions of dollars.

Meanwhile, PMLN’s Atta Tarrar said that the matter should be investigated by the FIA regardless of the buyer’s reputation. “The money belongs to Pakistan and we will get it back at any cost.”