Toshakhana corruption case: Imran Khan arrested after 3-year jail sentence

Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan was on Saturday (August 5) arrested after he was sentenced to three years in prison in a corruption case in which he is accused of profiting from selling expensive state gifts when he was in power.

Additional Judge Humayun Dilawar of the Islamabad-based district and sessions judge also imposed Rs 100,000 fine on Khan, adding that he would be kept in jail for another six months if failed to pay the fine.

“Charges of misdeclaration of assets have been proven against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman,” Dilawar said in his judgment.

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Khan, 70, was arrested from his residence in Lahore by Islamabad police in coordination with the Punjab police after the court verdict, his family said.

In a brief post on the X platform, his party said: “Imran Khan is being moved to Kot Lakhpat Jail.”

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s special assistant Attaullah Tarar has confirmed the arrest of Khan. “It will be decided later whether he is to be kept at Adiala Jail Rawalpindi or elsewhere,” he said while talking to reporters.

Khan was convicted in the Toshakhana case which was filed last year on the complaint of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) which had earlier disqualified him in the same case.

The verdict came a day after the Islamabad High Court (IHC) set aside a session court’s verdict to uphold the maintainability of the Toshakhana case for criminal proceedings against Khan.

PTI moves High Court

Meanwhile, the PTI party on Saturday filed a petition in the Lahore High Court terming the arrest of Khan as “abduction at gunpoint” by the Punjab police.

Petitioner Umair Niazi, PTI additional secretary general, requested the court to take up his petition without any delay and direct the Punjab police and government to produce the former prime minister before it to ensure his safety.

“The government has kept Mr Khan in illegal custody. Imran Khan was attending a meeting at his Zaman Park residence at 12:45 pm today when some 200 policemen barged into the house and abducted him at gunpoint. They are keeping him in illegal custody,” the petitioner said, and requested the court to take up the petition today (Saturday) itself and order the authorities to produce him before it. Niazi alleged the police “kidnapped” Khan without showing him the court order of his conviction in Toshakhana case.

What is Toshakhana case?

The Toshakhana issue over 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 false statements and incorrect declaration. The Toshakhana is a department under the Cabinet Division that stores gifts given to rulers and government officials by heads of other governments and foreign dignitaries. Khan bought some of the gifts, including a precious watch, and sold the same for profit.

(With agency inputs)