Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi sentenced to 17 years in Toshakhana 2.0

Former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi have been sentenced in the Toshakhana-II case, after a court issued a written verdict on Saturday finding both guilty of criminal breach of trust. Khan was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment under Section 409 of the Pakistan Penal Code and a further seven years under the Anti-Corruption Act, while Bushra Bibi was sentenced to 17 years’ imprisonment. Both were fined Rs16,425,650 each, with an additional six months’ imprisonment in case of non-payment. The implementation of the Toshakhana-II verdict began on Saturday, with jail authorities completing all required formalities in accordance with the court’s order, prison sources said. Bushra Bibi’s bail in the case has lapsed following the verdict. Both she and Khan were already serving sentences in the 190 million pound case, and the sentence in the Toshakhana-II case has also taken effect from today. According to the written verdict, the prosecution succeeded in proving its case against both accused, with the minimum sentence awarded in view of Khan's advanced age and Bushra Bibi being a woman. The period already spent in custody has also been counted towards the sentence. The case The case relates to allegations that the couple unlawfully retained a Bulgari jewellery set gifted by the Saudi Crown Prince during their visit to Saudi Arabia from July 7 to 10, 2021. Khan and Bushra Bibi have maintained that they retained the gifts after paying half of their assessed value. According to FIA records, the total value of the jewellery set, which included a necklace, bracelet, ring and earrings, exceeded Rs70 million. The FIA, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, obtained a Letter of Mutual Legal Assistance from Bulgari in Italy and presented a letter detailing the original price before the court. However, the prosecution said the accused had the jewellery set valued at only Rs5.9 million by a private firm, while the gift was not deposited in the Toshakhana, the state repository, as required. The valuation was carried out through private appraiser Sohail Abbasi and later through customs authorities. Abbasi told the court that Khan’s private secretary, Inamullah Shah, exerted pressure for a lower valuation. On July 13, 2024, the National Accountability Bureau arrested Khan and Bushra Bibi while they were already lodged in Adiala Jail. They remained in NAB custody for 37 days. Following the Supreme Court’s restoration of the NAB amendments on September 9, the Accountability Court transferred the case to an FIA court. The trial began on September 16, 2024, with Special Judge (Central) Shahrukh Arjumand conducting the first hearing in Adiala Jail. The Islamabad High Court granted bail to Bushra Bibi on October 23, and she was released the following day. Khan was granted bail on November 20, while charges were formally framed on December 12. The trial continued for around a year, during which more than 80 hearings were held and 20 witnesses were presented. Key witnesses included former military secretary Brigadier (retd) Muhammad Ahmed, Sohail Abbasi and Inamullah Shah. The prosecution team included Federal Prosecutor Zulfiqar Abbas Naqvi, Barrister Umair Majid Malik, Bilal Butt and Shahvez Gilani. Khan and Bushra Bibi were represented by Arshad Tabraiz, Qausain Faisal Mufti and Barrister Salman Safdar. PTI cries foul Speaking to the media outside Adiala Jail, Safdar said the legal team was informed at 8 pm on Friday that proceedings would take place at 9 am on Saturday. He said that on October 16, the judge had adjourned the case and fixed Saturday for arguments, not for the announcement of a verdict. "The judge did something illegal. The verdict was announced in the absence of lawyers,” he said, adding that the judge issued a 59-page written decision. He said Khan has instructed him to file an appeal in the High Court. PTI leader Salman Akram Raja said "there was an order requiring the presence of family members during the hearing", adding that as part of the legal team, it is their right to be present during the hearing. Commenting on the case, Raja said it lacked substance. "These are frivolous cases built on the weakest testimony, they have no witness except the person whom the PTI founder himself removed," he said. Khan’s sister, Aleema Khan, said injustice had been ongoing for the past two and a half years. "We were in Lahore, there was fog, and they knowingly announced the decision. A barricade was set up one kilometre before here from both sides," she said. She claimed that Khan had directed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi to prepare for a street movement. Meanwhile, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Special Assistant for Information and Public Relations Shafi Jan issued a statement terming the case “concocted, fake and baseless”. He added that "Imran Khan is not being given access to his lawyers, sentencing him under these circumstances is a mockery of justice." Jan said that PTI will decide its course of action after consulting legal experts regarding the verdict.