Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan convicted in Toshakhana case, sentenced to three years in jail
NEW DELHI,AUG 5 : Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has been convicted and handed a three-year sentence in the Toshakhana corruption case on Saturday.
The Chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was found guilty by a district court which also fined him PKR 1 Lakh. “Judge Humayun Dilawar announced that involvement in corrupt practices has been proven,” Pakistan TV said.
The cricketer-turned-politician will be disqualified from politics for a period of five years as a result of this verdict. Khan was not present for the hearing and the judge ordered his arrest. However, his legal team said they would be filing an immediate appeal.
The TTP chief is also facing more than 140 cases across the country and faces charges like terrorism, violence, blasphemy, corruption and murder.
The Toshakhana issue became a major sticking point in national politics after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) disqualified Imran Khan on October 21, 2022, for making “false statements and incorrect declaration.”
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday had reserved judgment on multiple petitions by 70-year-old Khan, the Chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party against his trial by a district court in the case of illegal sale of state gifts from the Toshakhana.
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.
The case is based on a criminal complaint filed by the ECP that Khan had “deliberately concealed” details of the gifts he retained from the Toshakhana. The reference, which alleges that Imran failed to share details of the gifts (during his time as the prime minister) was filed by lawmakers from the ruling coalition last year, according to ARY News.
Earlier, the ECP disqualified Khan for hiding the proceeds of the sale. Khan was authorised to carry out the sale but failed to inform the ECP about the money he made.
Khan 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 because of his independent foreign policy decisions on Russia, China and Afghanistan.
-PTI
