Former Pakistani PM Imran Khan was arrested from his Lahore residence after a trial court in Islamabad sentenced him to three years in prison in the ‘Toshakhana case’ on Saturday.
In a development closely following the court order barring Khan from contesting in national elections, PM Shehbaz Sharif announced that he would dissolve the government on 9 August, thus setting the stage for the general elections.
Overview
Khan was arrested by the police from his Zaman Park residence in Lahore on charges of providing ‘false information’ about Toshakhana gifts. The verdict was announced by Additional District and Sessions Judge Humayun Dilawar, whose security was increased after the judgment.
Khan was not available in the courtroom when an arrest warrant was handed to the Islamabad police chief. The warrant asked the police chief to arrest the former PM and move him to Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail. However, Khan was moved to Attock owing to “security concerns.”
In the 30-page detailed judgment, the judge remarked, “[Khan] cheated while providing information about gifts he obtained from Toshakhana, which later proved to be false and inaccurate. His dishonesty has been established beyond doubt.”
Chairman Imran Khan’s message:
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) August 5, 2023
My arrest was expected & I recorded this message before my arrest.
It is one more step in fulfilling London Plan but I want my party workers to remain peaceful, steadfast and strong.
We bow before no one but Allah who is Al Haq. We believe in… pic.twitter.com/1kqg6HQVac
The PTI chief was convicted under section 174 of the Elections Act 2017. He was also charged a fine of 100,000 Pakistani rupees (~$355).
A senior official of the Election Commission of Pakistan said that since the court had declared Khan dishonest in the graft case, he would be disqualified from holding public office.
Toshakhana Case
In the Toshakhana case, which emerged in August 2022, the former Pakistani PM was found guilty of concealing information on gifts he retained from the country’s gift depository.
The Toshakhana is a government repository where presents received by government officials during foreign trips are kept.
The former PM was accused of illegally selling state gifts, and the revenue received from the alleged sale of these gifts amounted to as much as 140 million Pakistani rupees (~$635,000).
Imran Khan’s Message, Elections in Pakistan
Shortly after his arrest, Khan posted a pre-recorded video message on social media in which he urged the nation to continue holding peaceful protests to get its fundamental rights.
“If you will not stand up for your rights, you will live a life that is of slaves and slaves have no life. Slaves are similar to how ants — on the ground — are, they cannot fly high,” Khan said.
Meanwhile, the ex-PM’s lawyers said they could not reach him on Sunday after he had spent a night in jail.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is set to dissolve parliament days before his term expires at the end of the week https://t.co/7ZNabGTMd2
— TIME (@TIME) August 7, 2023
They said they could not take him food or arrange the signing of critical legal documents.
The PTI’s legal team will challenge the conviction before the Islamabad High Court next week.
The arrest also complicates the political situation in Pakistan, where the general elections will be held within 90 days after the National Assembly is dissolved on 9 August, as announced by the incumbent PM Sharif.