Imran Khan, the leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), was detained at his Zaman Park house in Lahore shortly after being found guilty in the Toshakhana case on Saturday and transferring to Islamabad, according to sources.
A district and sessions court in the nation’s capital recently found the former prime minister guilty of fraudulent behavior relating to the state gift depository, charges he vigorously contests.
The 70-year-old former cricketer-turned-politician was charged with abusing his position as prime minister to purchase and resell goods acquired during foreign trips and valued at more than 140 million Pakistani rupees ($635,000).
Khan’s motion to have the case declared inadmissible was denied, and Additional and Sessions Judge Humayun Dilawar gave the former prime minister a three-year prison term.
“Charges of misdeclaration of assets have been proven against PTI chairman,” Judge Dilawar mentioned in his judgment.
He then issued an arrest warrant for Khan and sentenced him to three years in prison and a Rs. 100,000 fine.
The defense team for Khan announced that they would immediately appeal.
A conviction in the case, according to legal experts, might eliminate Khan’s chances of running in this year’s national election.
The claims in the Toshakhana case were disputed by the former prime minister in a number of settings, including before the Supreme Court and the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
Khan was called before the trial court today (Saturday) for a hearing in the Toshakhana case after the high court rejected his appeals of the maintainability ruling.
Khan’s bid to have the case transferred to a different court was also denied by the IHC on Friday, and Judge Dilawar was instructed to keep on hearing the case.
To read our blog on “Court orders to arrest Imran on March 18 in Toshakhana case,” click here.
