Imran Khan’s Arrest: Political Turmoil and Legal Controversies Unfold

The Islamabad District and Session Court sentenced former PM Imran Khan to three years in prison in the Tosha Khana (Gift House) case, after which the Chairman PTI was arrested from his residence in Zaman Park Lahore and shifted to Attock Jail. The court decision was announced on Saturday, August 05, 2023. PTI leader and former federal minister Mr. Zulfi Bukhari and Imran Khan’s lawyer Mr. Ali Ijaz have confirmed his transfer to Attock Jail.
District and session judge Islamabad Humayun Dilawar penalized Imran Khan to three years in prison and a fine of PKR 100,000. The court decision said that the accused submitted false details to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and was found guilty of corrupt practices.
After pronouncing the verdict, the court issued a warrant and ordered the Inspector General Police (IGP) Islamabad to immediately arrest Imran Khan. According to the warrant, if the fine is not paid, the offender will have to spend another six months in jail.
On this occasion, the PTI media cell released a video of Imran Khan in which he said, “By the time this message reaches you, I will have been arrested and I will be in jail”. In the video, Imran Khan appealed to the people that they should not sit in their homes, “this is a struggle, I’m doing it for you”. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) has called for a countrywide peaceful protest against Imran Khan’s arrest.
In a statement by the PTI spokesperson, it is alleged that the verdict was delivered through an unfair trial under a pre-arranged plan. “The Constitution of the country gives the right of a peaceful protest to every citizen, PTI workers will protest against this oppression and injustice within the framework of the constitution and law in accordance with instructions of the party chairman”, said in a statement.
According to PTI International Media Coordinator Ahmad Jawad, Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi will take over the leadership of the party after the arrest of Imran Khan.
On the other hand, Lahore High Court Bar Association officials said in a statement that apparently it seems the decision was announced haphazardly. Imran Khan was not given the right to a fair trial, as conferred by the constitution of the country. It shows that there are forces behind this decision that do not want to allow the democratic system to work in the country.
Meanwhile, Imran Khan’s lawyer Mr. Naeem Haider informed the local media regarding his visit and meeting with Imran Khan in Attock jail. He said, “Former PM is not being treated well, he is kept in the C category room of the jail, with an open washroom, flies in the day and bugs are in the night. “It has been decided to file a petition on a higher forum against the decision of the district and session court”, Mr. Naeem Haider added.
Talking to EAT News, the International Media Department of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has confirmed that Imran Khan has signed the power of attorney during the meeting in Attock Jail and now his lawyers will challenge this decision in Islamabad High Court.
Imran Khan accuses the establishment and his political opponents of conspiring against him to prevent him from the upcoming elections. However, military spokespersons and political rivals of Imran Khan have rejected these allegations.
What Happened in Tosha Khan (Gift House) Case

Imran Khan is accused of getting valuable gifts from foreign countries at a low price during his tenure as Prime Minister from 2018 to 2022 and then selling these gifts for 635,000 dollars. Imran Khan’s gifts include a valuable watch from Saudi Arabia, which has a model of Kaaba and is estimated to be worth PKR 600 million in the international market.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) said on October 21, 2022, that former Prime Minister Imran Khan made false statements regarding the gifts and assets of Tosha Khana under Article 63 (1) of the Constitution.
Apart from this, a petition was also filed by the Election Watchdog in the Sessions Court requesting to initiate criminal proceedings against the Chairman PTI. On May 10, 2023, the trial court indicted Imran Khan for providing false information in the Tosha Khana (Gift House) case.
However, on July 4, the Islamabad High Court annulled the order of the Sessions Court and directed it to hear the petitioner and give a decision within 7 days. On August 4, the Islamabad High Court annulled the decision of the Sessions Court regarding the Tosha Khana criminal case and directed the judge to re-judge the case against the petitioner.
Then on August 5, the Sessions Court sentenced Imran Khan to three years in prison and a fine of PKR 100,000 in the Tosha Khan case.
Pakistan’s Federal Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Ms. Maryam Aurangzeb, while speaking to media in Islamabad said that it was just the beginning, still, many other high-profile cases are pending against Imran Khan, including the foreign funding case, Al Qadir University 190-million-pound case and cipher case. She said, “The above-mentioned case was heard for 14 months, and Imran appeared before the court only three times in 14 months”. The Federal Minister claimed Imran Khan was neither arrested by the government nor it was a political victimization, in fact, the court sentenced him after completing all the legal procedures.
The news regarding the arrest of Imran Khan is being discussed on the international level, but the USA said, “case against Imran Khan or any politician is an internal matter of Pakistan. We respect the rule of law and democratic principles in Pakistan and around the world”.
Apart from the United States, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the United Kingdom has also reacted to the arrest of Imran Khan and said that they are keeping an eye on the situation in Pakistan. According to the international media, the UK Foreign Ministry said, “Britain has a long and close relationship with Pakistan. We support democratic principles and respect the rule of law. We are closely monitoring this situation”.
Some peaceful protests were observed by PTI workers in the different cities of the country but their intensity and magnitude were much lesser as compared to the 9th May protests. PTI leadership and its workers are continuously accusing the current PDM government of hostile behavior against them. PTI believes that the government wants to disqualify Imran Khan as they are afraid of his popularity in upcoming elections.