Former Pakistani PM Arrested By Police, Gets 3-Year Sentence By Court

In a surprising development, Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan has been sentenced to three years in jail in the Toshakhana case.

A district and sessions court in Islamabad found him guilty of “corrupt practices” related to illegally selling state gifts.

Along with the jail term, a fine of Rs 1 lakh (about $700) was imposed on Khan. If he fails to pay the fine, he could face an additional six months in jail. Additionally, he is barred from participating in elections for the next five years.

This case revolves around the Toshakhana (a state gift repository) and emerged last year based on a complaint from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). The court’s verdict might impact Khan’s ability to take part in upcoming national elections scheduled before early November.

Imran Khan was also a renowned cricketer, who later moved to politics. Later on, he formed the political party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

The arrest occurred at his residence in Lahore, as police surrounded the premises following the court’s decision.

However his lawyers are preparing to file an appeal against the verdict in the high court, and his party PTI has submitted another appeal to the Supreme Court.

The conviction relates to Khan’s time as Prime Minister from 2018 to 2022. He was accused of improperly buying and selling gifts received during official visits abroad, with a combined worth of over 140 million Pakistani rupees ($635,000). Khan has consistently denied any wrongdoing in this matter.

Khan’s previous arrest and detention in May for a separate case led to significant political turmoil and clashes between his supporters and the police.

The new jail sentence and legal troubles may have far-reaching consequences for Khan’s political career and the upcoming elections in Pakistan.

What Is The Toshakhana Case?

Toshakhana is a government treasury in Pakistan that holds gifts received by the president, prime minister, and other high-ranking officials from foreign dignitaries. These gifts are considered state property, and they must be returned to Toshakhana if the recipient wants to sell them.

In 2018, Imran Khan, who was the prime minister at the time, received a golden shield and a diamond-encrusted watch from the Saudi Arabian crown prince. Khan reportedly sold these gifts for about $140,000, but he did not return the money to Toshakhana.

This led to the filing of a complaint against Khan by the opposition parties. The complaint alleged that Khan had violated the law by selling the gifts without returning the money to Toshakhana.

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In 2022, the Election Commission of Pakistan disqualified Khan from holding public office for five years on the grounds that he had made “false statements and incorrect declarations” about the Toshakhana gifts.

However Imran Khan has denied any wrongdoing at that, and he still denied his involvement. He had challenged the Election Commission’s decision in court. But today, the case resulted in the arrest and 3-year jail sentence of Khan.