Pakistan: Accountability Court sentences Imran Khan & Bushra Bibi for 14 yrs

On Wednesday, an Accountability Court (AC) in Pakistan handed a 14-year jail sentence to Imran Khan, the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and his wife Bushra Bibi in the Toshakhana case, according to ARY News. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had filed a reference against the PTI founder and his wife in the Toshakhana case on December 19 of the previous year. AC Judge Muhammad Bashir pronounced the verdict and also disqualified Imran Khan and his wife from holding any public office for ten years. Additionally, a fine of Pakistani rupee (PKR) 787 million was imposed.

During the hearing, Imran Khan was present in court, but Bushra Bibi did not appear, as reported by ARY News. When questioned about his statement of 342, the former prime minister stated, “The statement is in the room; I was only called to appear before the court.” The judge instructed Imran Khan to promptly submit his statement, cautioning against wasting court time.

Imran Khan, expressing that his lawyers had not arrived yet, stated, “I will submit the statement after showing them,” and then left the courtroom, according to ARY News. Following the NAB court’s verdict, former first lady Bushra Bibi surrendered to the graft-buster team at Adiala Jail.

Sources revealed that a NAB team, accompanied by a police party, was constituted for Bushra Bibi’s arrest following a detailed verdict from the court. The Toshakhana case had become a significant issue in national politics after the Election Commission of Pakistan disqualified the PTI chief for making “false statements and incorrect declaration” the previous year.

Adding to the developments, just a day earlier, a special court established under the Official Secrets Act sentenced Imran Khan and his foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi to 10 years in prison for the breach of state secrets, as per ARY News. Special Court Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain announced the verdict in the cipher case after recording the statements of the two accused under Section 342 during Tuesday’s hearing.