Pakistan’s Former PM Imran Khan Convicted In Toshakhana Case, Sentenced To 3 Years In Prison

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan has reportedly been arrested after a trial court on Saturday sentenced him to three years in prison for his selling off of state gifts illegally.

The case is commonly known as the Toshakhana corruption case, and the court has disqualified Imran Khan from taking part in the country’s politics for a period of five years.

According to legal experts, Imran Khan's conviction in the case could spell an end to his chances of participating in Pakistan’s national elections that are due to be held by November.

A Pakistan TV channel said that Judge Humayun Dilawar announced that Imran Khan’s involvement in corrupt practices has been proven. Khan was not present in court during the hearing, and the judge ordered his arrest.

The court also imposed a fine of Rs 1,00,000 on the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief, according to reports. Khan was charged in the case on May 10, after a criminal complaint was filed against him by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for concealing details relating to Toshakhana gifts.

During Saturday’s hearing, additional district and sessions judge Dilawar delivered a verdict which says that the charges leveled against the former prime minister in the Toshakhana case have been proven.

“Imran Khan deliberately submitted fake details to the Election Commission of Pakistan and is found guilty of corrupt practices,” judge Dilawar was quoted as saying. The judge sent the PTI chief to jail for three years under Section 174 of the Election Act.

Judge Dilawar had also directed a copy of the order to be sent to the Islamabad police chief for executing the court orders.

To recap the Toshakhana corruption case, Imran Khan, 70, was convicted in the charges related to the Toshakhana case, filed last year on the complaint of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), after he was disqualified in the same case.

The Toshakhana case, relating to the sale of state gifts received by the former cricketer-turned-politician, became a major issue in national politics after the ECP disqualified Khan on October 21, 2022, for making statements which were false and for incorrect declaration.

The Toshakhana in Pakistan is a department under the Cabinet division that stores gifts given by heads of other governments and foreign dignitaries to rulers and government officials.

Khan had bought some of the gifts, which included a precious watch costing millions, and sold the same for profit to an unnamed person inn Dubai.

Imran Khan's PTI party called it a biased verdict, saying it will challenge the ruling in a higher court.

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