Following a conviction and a 17-year prison sentence in the Toshakhana-II case, former Pakistani Premier Imran Khan is set to appeal the verdict at the Islamabad High Court. Khan, who remains incarcerated, has also galvanized his supporters, calling for widespread protests across Pakistan. The charges involve the alleged improper acquisition of gifts received during his premiership.
Khan, speaking through his lawyer, described the verdict as predictable and asserted that it was handed down hastily, lacking legal foundation and evidence. “This decision was given in haste by the judge without any evidence and without fulfilling the legal requirements,” he claimed. He appealed to the public, stating, “The entire nation will have to rise for its rights.”
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party has vehemently rejected the court’s decision, terming it “blatantly unconstitutional” and a severe act of “political revenge.” The core of the Toshakhana-II case involves the purchase of an expensive jewelry set gifted by Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince. The sentencing, delivered within Adiala jail, also included a substantial fine for both Khan and Bushra Bibi, who received an identical sentence. The judge’s order mentioned considering the age of Khan and the gender of Bibi in awarding what it termed a “lenient view” on punishment.