Pakistani PM Imran Khan arrested, sentenced to 3 years in prison
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Khan is reportedly in Islamabad at the moment after police detained him at his home in Lahore, following the accusation of illegally selling gifts worth hundreds of millions of rupees, which were originally intended for the state.
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Former Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan at a hospital in Lahore, a day after his assassination attempt, on November 4, 2022. (AFP)
A court in Islamabad, Pakistan, has issued a sentencing for former prime minister Imran Khan of three years in jail, alongside disqualifying him from politics for “corrupt practices.”
Khan was escorted by police from his home in Lahore on Saturday, after a ruling in the Toshakaha case came out, in which he was accused of illegally selling gifts worth hundreds of millions of rupees, that were originally intended for the state.
The judge said the former PM “deliberately submitted fake details” of the gifts to the court, and after expressing his frustration that his lawyers were not present in court, sentenced Khan to three years and has been banned from politics for five years.
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Immediately, police detained Khan at his home, and according to the state information minister, he was taken to Islamabad. Intezar Hussain Panjutha, Khan’s lawyer, argued that the ruling will be appealed against and called the case "political victimization”.
“Khan was not given an opportunity to defend himself and say his side of the story,” he said, adding: “We wanted to provide witnesses in his favor but he was not allowed this opportunity. Khan was not given a fair trial.”
Read more: Pakistan: 102 in military court over ex-PM Khan arrest violence
In a pre-recorded message published on X, Khan pleaded with his supporters not to stay in their homes.
Chairman Imran Khan’s message:
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) August 5, 2023
My arrest was expected & I recorded this message before my arrest.
It is one more step in fulfilling London Plan but I want my party workers to remain peaceful, steadfast and strong.
We bow before no one but Allah who is Al Haq. We believe in… pic.twitter.com/1kqg6HQVac
This comes after Pakistan’s Supreme Court on July 25 rejected a petition from Khan to halt his trial in a case against him.
Khan has insisted he did not buy or sell state gifts in violation of the law. In Pakistan, government leaders are allowed to buy back gifts, but they aren't usually sold. If they are, individuals must declare that as income.
Khan's supporters were enraged after his arrest in a corruption case in May, and protested for several days. The bloody violence that ensued amid the police crackdown did not subside until after Khan was released by order of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
