Former Prime Ministers Of Pakistan Who Went To Jail & Why

Arrested: Imran Khan

The former Prime Minister, Imran Khan, found himself in the custody of paramilitary Rangers, accused of complicity in the Al-Qadir Trust case.

The Story

Imran Khan was divested of his position through a no-confidence motion in April 2022. Following his conviction in multiple cases including the famous Toshakhana case and subsequent removal of Imran Khan disrupted the political cadence of Pakistan.

Arrested: Huseyn Shaheed

He declined to endorse General Ayub Khans takeover of the government. Consequently, he was barred from engaging in the countrys political affairs and held accountable for violating Pakistans Elective Bodies Disqualification Order (EBDO).

The Story

Under this ordinance, Ayub Khan, the inaugural military president of the nation, disqualified over 70 elected representatives of the Assembly. The ordinance was nullified in 1966.

Arrested: Zulfikar Ali Bhutto

Bhutto was apprehended for conspiring to assassinate a political adversary, Nawab Kasuri, in 1974. Although the Lahore High Court later decreed that his arrest lacked substantive grounds, Bhutto was rearrested three days later under the countrys Martial Law Regulation.

The Story

The statute empowered Pakistani forces to apprehend individuals acting against Pakistans security, law and order, or posing a threat to the smooth operation of martial law. Bhutto met his demise through a death sentence carried out in April 1979.

Arrested: Benazir Bhutto

Benazir Bhutto emerged as a leader of the opposition during Ziaul Haqs dictatorship in Pakistan. She faced a 90-day period of house arrest in 1985 upon her arrival in Pakistan to attend her brothers funeral.

The Story

In August 1986, Bhutto was arrested for denouncing the government at a public rally. In April 1999, Benazir Bhutto received a five-year jail term. In October 1999, a non-bailable arrest warrant was reissued against her. She met her tragic end through a suicide bombing in Rawalpindi on December 27, 2007.

Arrested: Nawaz Sharif

Following exile imposed by General Pervez Musharraf in 1999, Nawaz Sharif returned to Pakistan. He was detained within hours of his return and was subsequently sent to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to serve out the remaining years of his decade-long exile.

The Story

In 2018, Sharif was sentenced to a seven-year jail term concerning his familys stakes in steel mills in Saudi Arabia. In November 2019, he was permitted to depart from Pakistan for medical treatment, and he has not returned since.

Arrested: Shahid Khaqan Abbasi

Abbasi served as the prime minister of Pakistan between January 2017 and May 2018. In July 2019, he was arrested by a 12-member team of the National Accountability Bureau over his alleged involvement in a corruption case.

The Story

It was related to a multi-billion rupee contract for LNG in 2013 when he was the minister of petroleum and natural resources. He secured release on bail and walked out of the Adiala Jail in February 2020.

Arrested: Shehbaz Sharif

The current Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif, found himself behind bars as well. He was taken into custody on September 28, 2020, in connection with a money laundering case.

The Story

His plea for bail was rejected by the Lahore High Court, and he remained detained by a team of the NAB. He experienced detention for nearly seven months before being released from Lahores Kot Lakhpat jail.