ISLAMABAD: A special court on Saturday sentenced Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi to 17 years in Jail each in the Toshakhana-II reference, linked to the alleged illegal retention of a luxury jewellery set.
The case centres on a Bulgari jewellery set gifted to Imran Khan by the Saudi crown prince during an official visit in May 2021. Prosecutors argued that the former prime minister and his wife acquired the set—valued at around Rs80 million—by paying only Rs2.9 million, significantly below its assessed worth, and unlawfully retained it.
Special Judge Central Shahrukh Arjumand announced the verdict during proceedings held at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, where Imran Khan is currently incarcerated. The court sentenced Imran Khan to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment under Sections 34 and 409 of the Pakistan Penal Code, along with a further seven years under Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. Bushra Bibi received identical sentences under the same provisions.
Both were also fined Rs16.4 million each, with the court noting that failure to pay would result in additional imprisonment. In its written order, the court said it had taken into account Imran Khan’s age and Bushra Bibi’s status as a woman, which led to a comparatively lenient sentence. The benefit of Section 382-B of the Criminal Procedure Code—allowing time already spent in custody to be counted toward the sentence—was also granted.
The couple had been indicted in December last year and, in October, denied all charges, describing the case as politically motivated and aimed at sidelining Imran Khan from politics.
Imran Khan has been in jail since August 2023 and is already serving a 14-year sentence in the £190 million corruption case. He also faces trials under the Anti-Terrorism Act related to the May 9, 2023 protests. Bushra Bibi is likewise serving a seven-year sentence in the same corruption case.
PTI Rejects Verdict
The PTI strongly criticised the ruling, alleging that the verdict was delivered through a “kangaroo court” inside the jail. In a post on X, the party claimed Imran Khan’s family was barred from entering Adiala Jail during the hearing and described the closed-door proceedings as unfair.
Imran Khan’s sister, Aleema Khan, questioned the timing and conduct of the trial, alleging that decisions against her brother were pre-determined. She also raised concerns over Bushra Bibi’s treatment in custody, calling her confinement unlawful.
PTI leader Salman Akram Raja said the prosecution’s case relied on weak and questionable evidence, arguing that it lacked credible witnesses and was based on coerced testimony.
Government Welcomes Decision
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the 17-year sentence would run consecutively, beginning after the completion of the sentence in the £190 million case. He welcomed the judgment, stating that the gifts were deliberately undervalued and retained in violation of the law, calling it a clear breach of public trust.
Minister of State for Law and Justice Barrister Aqeel Malik maintained that the verdict was fully aligned with the Constitution and legal principles, stressing that the case had no political dimension. He said the prolonged trial established that the undervaluation of the gift caused significant loss to the national exchequer.
Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani echoed similar views, noting that the gift was never properly deposited in Toshakhana as required by law and was instead purchased at a nominal price. He said the facts had now been conclusively established by the court’s ruling.
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