LAHORE MIRROR – Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan was arrested from his Zaman Park residence in Lahore soon after being convicted in the Toshakhana case on Saturday.
In a major development, a district and sessions court in the federal capital convicted the former prime minister for corrupt practices related to the state gift depository — allegations which he denies.
The 70-year-old cricketer-turned-politician was accused of misusing his premiership to buy and sell gifts in state possession that were received during visits abroad and worth more than 140 million Pakistani rupees ($635,000).
Rejecting Khan’s petition seeking inadmissibility of the case, Judge Dilawar sentenced the former prime minister to three-year imprisonment.
“Charges of misdeclaration of assets have been proven against PTI chairman,” the Additional and Sessions Judge Humayun Dilawar mentioned in his judgment.
He then handed Khan three years in jail along with a fine of Rs100,000, while issuing an arrest warrant for his immediate arrest.
Legal experts say a conviction in the case could end Khan’s chances of participating in the upcoming national elections.
The former prime minister had challenged the Toshakhana case, related to the alleged misdeclaration of gifts he took from the state gifts repository, on several forums including the Supreme Court and Islamabad High Court (IHC).
