In an unexpected turn of events, the trial court hearing the Toshakhana case against former prime minister Imran Khan found him guilty and sentenced him to three years in prison on Saturday. The judge also ordered that the PTI leader be detained right away.
The party’s Punjab chapter announced the former premier’s transfer to Kot Lakhpat Jail on Twitter shortly after the ruling.
The choice was made by Additional District and Sessions Judge Humayun Dilawar in the midst of the PTI leader’s arguments on the case’s maintainability and repeated transfer requests based on the judge’s perceived bias.
Today at 8:30 a.m., the trial court started hearing the case without the PTI chief’s senior legal counsel. Before pronouncing the decision soon after noon, the court took three breaks.
Despite the court offering the defendant and his senior counsel’s multiple chances to present, neither one did. The court was informed by the PTI chief’s junior lawyer that he had an appearance scheduled before another court.
Justice Dilawar said in his decision that Imran’s charges had been established.
The trial court found the PTI leader guilty of carrying out corrupt behavior and making a false statement to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) when it rendered its judgment.
The former premier was sentenced to three years in prison and was also fined Rs 100,000 by the court.
The inspector general of police (IGP) in Islamabad was given instructions to ensure that arrest warrants were immediately carried out.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) filed the Toshakhana complaint against the PTI leader for “deliberately concealing” the gifts he got while serving as prime minister while retaining them from the Toshakhana.
‘Arrest’
Reports of the PTI chief’s detention started circulate from the Punjabi party leadership not long after the verdict was rendered.
Unlike earlier cases where PTI supporters would surround Zaman Park and threaten to arrest the former premier, it appeared that the former premier was carried into custody today without opposition.
The last time Imran was arrested was on May 11, when the paramilitary Rangers took him into custody on the grounds of an Islamabad court where he had attended for the Al-Qadir case‘s proceedings.
The arrest had caused widespread riots and protests across the nation, which sparked a furor within the civil-military elite. They assaulted to deal with vandals who started destroying army sites with an iron fist.
