Former Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi have been sentenced to jail for 14 years, marking the second consecutive sentence for the Ex-PM of Pakistan within a span of two days. The conviction is related to their unlawful gains from state gifts, which occurred just a week before a general election in which Imran Khan was not eligible to contest. This case is named the Tosha Khana Case (Gift House case).
In the previous month, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) lodged a new reference against Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi in an accountability court. The reference pertains to their alleged retention of a jewelry set received from the Saudi crown prince, which was reportedly undervalued during the assessment.
Earlier this month, an Islamabad accountability court formally charged Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi in reference. The anti-graft watchdog (NAB) asserted in the reference that during Imran’s tenure as prime minister, he and his wife had received a total of 108 gifts from various heads of state and foreign dignitaries.
According to the verdict, Imran and Bushra have been prohibited from holding any public office for 10 years and fined PKR 787 million each. Although Imran Khan, the PTI founder, was present during the hearing, his wife did not appear before the court.
Imran Khan, who was removed from the position of Prime Minister by his adversaries in 2022, is currently serving a three-year prison sentence for corruption. He contends that the multiple legal cases against him are politically driven.
The sentencing occurred a day following Imran Khan’s reception of a 10-year prison sentence for divulging state secrets. It remains uncertain whether the sentences will be served consecutively or concurrently.
Imran Khan has been in custody since August 2023, contending with multiple ongoing trials. According to his lawyer, Intezar Hussain, Bushra Bibi has also turned herself into the prison authorities.
In August, last year, Imran Khan received a three-year imprisonment in a case filed by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for failing to disclose assets related to the sale of state gifts exceeding PKR 140 million ($501,000), Imran Khan received these gifts during his tenure as prime minister from Aug 2018 to April 2022. The sentencing in that particular case was temporarily halted. The recent sentencing relates to a separate case initiated by an anti-corruption agency, alleging Khan and his wife’s involvement in corruption regarding the sale of state gifts.
The convictions of arguably Pakistan’s most popular politician occurred approximately a week before the country’s general elections, which were scheduled for February 8.
Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has already lost its election symbol, the cricket bat, and all of its candidates contested in general elections as independents.
PTI official Syed Zulfiqar Bukhari described Khan’s sentencing as “yet another sad day in Pakistan’s judicial history” and raised doubts about its legitimacy.
“The decision appears flawed and is seemingly subject to suspension by the higher court, especially considering the evident compromise of witnesses. Star witnesses were changed without any opportunity for cross-questioning, and final arguments were not concluded. The decision appeared predetermined, which is strange. This ridiculous decision will be contested in higher courts”, Mr. Zulfiqar Bukhari added.
Lawyer Ms. Rida Hosain remarked that the inexplicable speed with which the consecutive convictions against Khan were declared is concerning. “The fundamental right to a fair trial is essential in any civilized society governed by the rule of law. Even individuals accused of the most severe offenses deserve due process. It is evident that there was a lack of fairness in this case”, Ms. Rida Hosain added.
In response to the conviction, the PTI stated on Twitter (X), “Complete destruction of every existing law in Pakistan in two days.” In a post on X, the party expressed that Imran and his spouse had encountered “yet another kangaroo trial in which no right to defense was provided to both. Like a cipher, this case lacks any foundation to stand in any higher court. It’s disgraceful how there is a complete disregard and mockery of the law”, the PTI added.
Mr. Ashtar Ausaf Ali, a former attorney general of Pakistan, asserted that the Pakistan Tehreek Insaf’s lawyers were given sufficient opportunities to present their arguments. “They failed to refute or discredit the prosecution’s case”, he remarked.
This event was also discussed on the international level. A spokesperson for the United States State Department declined to offer any remarks regarding Khan’s sentencing in the state secrets case. “Of course, we want to see the democratic process unfold in a way that enables broad participation for all parties and upholds democratic principles. As we have stated previously, we do not take a stance on internal Pakistani affairs or candidates for office in Pakistan”, spokesperson Matthew Miller informed reporters.
“We advocate for a free, fair, and transparent democratic process, and in matters of law, those are decisions for the Pakistani courts to make”, he added.
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