Former Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan has been handed a three-year prison sentence by a Pakistani trial court on Saturday for his involvement in the Toshakhana corruption case.The verdict, which is related to the illegal sale of state gifts, will also disqualify Khan from participating in politics for a period of five years.The ruling all but quashes any chance for Imran Khan to participate in the national elections which are scheduled to be held before November this year.In addition to the prison sentence, Imran Khan has been fined PKR 1 lakh by the court. Failing to pay this fine would result in an additional six-month jail term for Khan.“Judge Humayun Dilawar announced that involvement in corrupt practices has been proven,” a news report from Pakistan TV said.BREAKING: Chairman PTI Imran Khan DISQUALIFIED, 3 years imprisonment— Mansoor Ali Khan (@_Mansoor_Ali) August 5, 2023Imran Khan was not present in the trial court when the judge passed the judgement, and the validity of this judgement has been questioned by his lawyer Advocate Intazar Hussain Panjutha.“Under Section 366 (2) of the Penal Code, the accused must be present in court when the final judgment is passed. Now, if Judge Humayun Dilawar pronounces judgment, it will have no legal status,” Panjutha wrote on Twitter.ضابطہ فوجداری کی دفعہ 366(2) کے تحت فائینل فیصلہ سناتے وقت ملزم کا عدالت میں حاضر ہونا ضروری ہے اب اگر جج ہمایوں دلاور فیصلہ سناتا ہے تو اسکی کوئی قانونی حیثیت نہیں ہوگی— Intazar Hussain Panjutha (@intazarpanjutha) August 5, 2023The case against Imran Khan was initiated following a criminal complaint filed by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), which alleged that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief concealed details of gifts received from Toshakhana – which is a government department tasked with collecting and keeping the gifts received by the members of parliament, ministers, foreign secretaries, the President, and the Prime Minister.Guilty of corrupt practices: Pak court on ex-PM Imran KhanDuring the hearing, additional district and sessions judge Dilawar confirmed the charges against the former prime minister.“Imran Khan deliberately submitted fake details to the Election Commission of Pakistan and is found guilty of corrupt practices,” the judge stated, according to the news outlet Dawn. As a result, Khan has been sentenced to three years in jail under Section 174 of the Election Act.In light of the verdict, Dilawar directed the Islamabad police chief to enforce the courts orders. Accordingly, an arrest warrant has been issued for Imran Khan.Chairman Imran Khan is arrested from his Zaman Park house.— Musa Virk (@MusaNV18) August 5, 2023Responding to the courts decision, Khans political party, PTI, expressed strong criticism. “Its absolutely shameful and disgusting how a mockery of law is going on just because the wish is to disqualify and jail Imran Khan,” the PTI said via an official statement.“A Captain, A Leader, A Visionary, A Statesman & Now An Ideology!” the party wrote on their official Twitter handle.A Captain, A Leader, A Visionary, A Statesman & Now An Ideology!IMRAN KHAN!#عوام_کپتان_کے_ساتھ_ہے pic.twitter.com/ZvKfpPI0OO— PTI (@PTIofficial) August 4, 2023The Toshakhana corruption case pertains to allegations that Khan misused his position as prime minister from 2018 to 2022 to engage in the purchase and sale of state gifts received during foreign visits, with a cumulative value exceeding PKR 140 million (USD 635,000).
