Imran Khan, founder and leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and his wife Bushra Bibi were each sentenced to 14 years in prison and banned from holding public office for 10 years in the landmark Toshakhana case. Justice Muhammad Bashir of the accountability court delivered the verdict, which also includes a hefty fine of Rs787 million. The case revolves around the illegal acquisition and sale of valuable gifts from other countries, which are kept in the public treasury called Toshakhana.
This follows Imran Khan's conviction the previous day in the encryption case, in which he and his close associate Shah Mehmood Qureshi were sentenced to ten years in prison. The special court established under the Official Secrets Act found them guilty of filing a no-confidence motion against the PTI government for violating their oath as prime minister, endangering the security of Pakistan, harming international relations, and describing opposition leaders as foreign agents.
Imran Khan's lawyer, Advocate Ali Zafar, has announced his intention to appeal the verdict in the leading Toshakhana case before the Islamabad High Court (IHC) and has filed a separate application seeking a stay of the decision of the Court of Accounts. The PTI claimed that Imran and Bushra were not allowed to present witnesses during the trial and their lawyers were not allowed to cross-examine.
Bushra Bibi surrendered to authorities after being convicted and sentenced to prison. Imran Khan questioned the haste in delivering the verdict during the trial, citing the haste in sentencing in the figure case. The PTI expressed its dissatisfaction with the judicial process and claimed that constitutional and legal aspects were not taken into account.
Reacting to the verdict, the PTI criticized the legal proceedings and described it as a "complete repeal of all existing laws in Pakistan in two days". They accused the trials of lacking a fair defense and of being conducted like kangaroo courts.
Imran Khan's sister Aleema Khan complained about the state of the justice system, while PTI leaders and lawyers highlighted the hasty nature of the convictions and announced plans to appeal to higher courts. They urged PTI supporters to remain calm and focus on the upcoming elections.
Opposition parties, particularly the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), used the verdict to criticize Imran Khan. PML-N leaders claimed that Imran had undervalued Toshakhana's gifts and accused him of leading a team that sold items on the black market.
The leading Toshakhana case filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) focused on Imran and Bushra keeping a jewelry set they received from the Saudi crown prince at an undervalued price. The case alleged the suspect violated procedures and used undue influence to reduce the gifts.
The PTI declared its intention to challenge the convictions of Cypher and Toshakhana in higher courts, citing failure to comply with legal requirements and denial of due process.
