The renowned Pakistani cricketer Imran Khan was given a 14-year prison term in the Toshakhana case.
At the age of 71, Imran Khan has been found guilty of failing to disclose his earnings from the sale of gifts received during his tenure as Prime Minister, thus evading taxes. His wife, Bushra Bibi, has also been convicted and is facing a 14-year prison sentence.
In addition to the imprisonment, the former Pakistan captain has been slapped with a hefty fine of PKR 787 million (approximately US$2.9 million). Moreover, the ban preventing him from seeking political office has been prolonged for five to ten years. It’s worth noting that Imran is already serving a ten-year sentence in a separate case, having commenced a three-year term in August 2023.
However, despite the suspension of the prior sentence, which was associated with the sale of state gifts deemed corrupt by the court, Imran Khan remains incarcerated, with no release granted. Meanwhile, adhering to the customary practice in Pakistan, his 14-year sentence is set to run concurrently with a ten-year term.
Imran Khan’s political party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI), which he guided to victory in the recent general elections, expressed dissatisfaction with the proceedings. They asserted that it unveiled a blatant disregard for the law by the trial court, branding it a mock trial that deserves to be discarded.
The legal woes for the former Prime Minister of Pakistan have been on the rise since his dismissal from office following a no-confidence vote in April 2022. With almost a hundred cases against him, the issue has taken a new turn as his wife faces her first jail term. This action is part of a bigger official attack on the former Prime Minister, coinciding with the forthcoming general elections in eight days. Adding to the political upheaval, Imran Khan’s political party, PTI, has been prohibited from participating in the elections. While there have been no official announcements from Imran Khan or his legal team, it is anticipated that they will appeal the sentence.
Imran Khan, a former cricket team captain turned politician at the age of 71, climbed to the prime ministerial office in 2018 only to be removed in 2022 on corruption accusations. His second arrest in 2023 increased his legal woes, as he was already serving a three-year jail term for a prior corruption conviction.
In 2022, Imran Khan and his backers alleged that his dismissal was a consequence of a conspiracy planned by the then Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the United States. The latter’s convoluted relationship with the Pakistani government added another aspect to the political drama unfolding in the country.
