Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi were sentenced to 17 years in jail by a special court of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in the Toshakhana-2 case on Saturday. Pakistani media reports said that the verdict was delivered during a hearing held at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail, where the PTI founder is kept.
The cricketer-turned-politician was handed 10 years' rigorous imprisonment under sections 34 (common intention) and 409 (criminal breach of trust) of the Pakistan Penal Code, and seven years under Section 5(2) (criminal misconduct by public servants) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, Dawn said in a report. Bushra Bibi was also sentenced under the same provisions, the report added. The couple have been asked to pay a hefty fine of Rs 16.4 million, failing which they will serve a longer jail term.
As per Pakistani media reports, the lawyers of Imran Khan and his wife have confirmed that they will challenge the verdict before the high court. The couple have denied all allegations in the case, terming them fabricated and politically motivated.
What is the Toshakhana 2 case?
The case was filed in July 2024 and was based on allegations that valuable items, including expensive watches, as well as diamond and gold jewellery sets, were sold by the former couple without being deposited in the Toshakhana - the state gift repository.
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In October 2024, Bushra was granted bail by the Islamabad High Court in this case, and a month later, Khan was also granted bail in the same case. They were indicted in December last year.
The Toshakhana-2 case is linked to the purchase of an expensive Bulgari jewellery set, which was reportedly gifted to Imran Khan by the Saudi crown prince during an official visit in May 2021. During the proceedings, the prosecution contended that the PTI founder retained the jewellery set, valued at approximately Rs 80 million, after paying only Rs 2.9 million, Dawn said in a report.
“The trial that went on for 15-16 months... it was proven that the PTI founder and his wife caused the national exchequer significant harm as the set’s valuation was under-reported. The gift was not even submitted,” Minister of State for Law and Justice Barrister Aqeel Malik reportedly told Geo News. “The state was given a gift that was not deposited, which they were legally bound to do according to the procedure for acceptance and gifts in Toshakhana. Bushra Bibi and Imran Khan attempted to buy the set at throwaway rates," he reportedly added.
