5-8-2023 (ISLAMABAD) Former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, has been found guilty in the Toshakhana case and has been sentenced to three years in jail. The PTI chairman was arrested from his Zaman Park house, according to a tweet from his party. An Islamabad trial court on Saturday declared Imran Khan guilty of “corrupt practices” in the Toshakhana case, as reported by Pakistani newspaper The Dawn.
Additional Judge Humayun Dilawar of the district and sessions judge based in Islamabad imposed a fine of Rs 100,000 on Khan and stated that he would face an additional six months in jail if he failed to pay the fine.
“It is absolutely shameful and disgusting how a mockery of law is taking place merely to disqualify and imprison Imran Khan,” said his party, PTI, in a statement. During today’s hearing, Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADSJ) Humayun Dilawar ruled that the charges against the former prime minister in the case were proven. “Imran Khan submitted fake details to the Election Commission of Pakistan and is found guilty of corrupt practices,” he declared.
HEAVY SECURITY DEPLOYED
A heavy police force has been deployed outside Imran Khan’s house, and traffic has been blocked on Zaman Park road. No gatherings are allowed, according to Geo News.
Khan, 70, was convicted in the Toshakhana case, which was filed last year based on a complaint from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). The ECP had previously disqualified him in the same case. He is accused of misusing his premiership from 2018 to 2022 by buying and selling gifts in state possession that were received during his visits abroad, with a total worth of more than Rs 140 million (USD 635,000).
The verdict comes a day after the Islamabad High Court (IHC) overturned a session court’s decision to uphold the maintainability of the Toshakhana case for criminal proceedings against Khan.
Last year, on October 21, the ECP disqualified the former prime minister in the Toshakhana case for making “false statements and incorrect declarations.”
Khan currently faces over 140 cases across the country, including charges of terrorism, violence, blasphemy, corruption, and murder. He was ousted from power in April last year after losing a no-confidence vote, which he alleged was part of a US-led conspiracy targeting him due to his independent foreign policy decisions regarding Russia, China, and Afghanistan.
