A special court of Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Saturday sentenced former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, to 17 years in prison in the Toshakhana-2 case. The case relates to the alleged illegal purchase of a luxury Bulgari jewellery set that Imran Khan received as a gift from the Saudi crown prince during an official visit in May 2021.
According to Dawn, prosecutors told the court that the jewellery set was worth around PKR 80 million. However, Imran Khan allegedly bought it by paying only PKR 2.9 million. The court said this amounted to criminal misuse of state gifts.
The verdict was delivered by Special Judge Central Shahrukh Arjumand during a hearing held inside Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail, where Imran Khan is currently imprisoned.
Jail Term and Fine Explained
During Saturday’s hearing, the court handed Imran Khan a total sentence of 17 years. This includes 10 years of rigorous imprisonment under Sections 34 (common intention) and 409 (criminal breach of trust) of the Pakistan Penal Code. In addition, the court awarded seven years under Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, which deals with criminal misconduct by public servants.
The court gave Bushra Bibi the same punishment of 17 years under the same legal provisions. Along with the prison terms, the court imposed a fine of PKR 16.4 million on the couple.
If they fail to pay the fine, the law allows the court to add more jail time, Dawn reported.
Lawyers and PTI React to Verdict
After the ruling, legal teams representing both Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi said they would challenge the verdict in the high court.
Reacting on X, formerly Twitter, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) claimed that Khan’s family was barred from entering the jail where the verdict was announced. The party described the proceedings as a “kangaroo court”.
“A closed-door jail trial is neither free nor fair; it is in fact a military trial,” the party said.
PTI also shared a video of Imran Khan’s sister, Aleema Khan, sitting inside a car near the jail. In the video, she questioned why she was stopped from entering the premises. “They can’t stop us. The jail trial is today,” she said, calling the restrictions “illegal”.
Background of the Case
Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi were formally indicted in the Toshakhana-2 case in December last year. In October this year, both denied all charges. They described the case as fabricated and politically motivated, aimed at removing Imran Khan from active politics.
It is important to note that Imran Khan has been in jail since August 2023. He is already serving a 14-year sentence in a £190 million corruption case. He also faces pending cases under Pakistan’s Anti-Terrorism Act related to the violent protests of May 9, 2023.
Meanwhile, Bushra Bibi is currently serving a separate seven-year sentence in the same £190 million corruption case.