Karachi [Pakistan], National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has given clean chit to former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in Toshakhana vehicle reference. Dawn reported that Toshakhana is a government department tasked with storing gifts given to rulers, MPs, bureaucrats and officials. According to NAB allegations by foreign heads of state and dignitaries, then Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilan allegedly helped Nawaz Sharif and then President Asif Ali Zardari in possessing vehicles gifted by foreign states and dignitaries. This allegedly happened through relaxation in procedures related to depositing GIF in Toshakhana, which was aimed at providing illegal benefits to Nawaz and Zardari, as reported by Dawn. The accused allegedly maintained these vehicles "by dishonest and illegal means for their personal gain and interest".They have been allowed to keep the vehicle by paying a nominal fee of 15 per cent of the total value, the reference said. In June 2020, an accountability court issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for Nawaz Sharif, who was abroad at the time. He challenged the warrant in the Islamabad High Court, but withdrew the petition shortly thereafter. In September 2020, Nawaz Sharif was declared a proclaimed offender in the case, following which the accountability court initiated the process of confiscating his properties. Initiated and directed NAB to proceed further. His arrest through Interpol However, before his return to Pakistan in October of the same year, an accountability court suspended the permanent arrest warrant against Nawa Sharif, and granted him bail shortly afterwards. In November, NAB informed the Lahore accountability court that it had the records of Nawaz Sharif.Sharif's statement in context: According to Dawn Today, NAB submitted a report to the Islamabad Accountability Court after ordering the inclusion of Nawaz Sharif in the investigation. Reports indicate that the vehicle, gifted to Nawaz by the Saudi Arabian government in 1997, was initially assigned to Toshakhana. However, it was later included in the federal transportation pool. The report clarified that Nawaz Sharif had purchased the vehicle in 2008, not from Toshakhana, but from the Federal Transport Pool. Therefore, NAB concluded that Toshakhana's benefits were not relevant in the case as the vehicle was not a part.As a result, when Nawaz took over Toshakhana, NAB urged the accountability court to acquit or discharge Nawaz Sharif, Dawn reported.