PTI chairman arrested in Toshakhana case

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman was arrested from his Zaman Park residence in Lahore soon after he was found guilty of “corrupt practices” in the Toshakhana case and sentenced to three years in prison, ARY News reported on Saturday.

PTI Vice-Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi confirmed the arrest of the PTI chairman in the Toshakhana case.

PTI’s Punjab Chapter confirmed the reports with a tweet: “Imran Khan is being moved to Kot Lakhpat Jail.”

The verdict

District and Sessions Court today awarded three years jail term to the PTI chairman in Toshakhana criminal case.

The court in its verdict said that the accused had been found guilty of corrupt practices and handed the PTI chairman three years jail sentence.

“Imran Khan deliberately submitted fake details [of Toshakhana gifts] to the ECP and is found guilty of corrupt practices,” he stated.

Read More: Toshakhana case: Court awards three years jail term to PTI Chairman

The court also imposed Rs 100,000 fine on the convicted chief of the PTI. The court also declared the former prime minister ineligible to hold public office for five years.

Ahead of today’s proceedings, a large contingent of police was deployed outside the court premises.

Toshakhana reference

The Toshakhana issue became a major sticking point in national politics after the Election Commission of Pakistan disqualified the PTI chief for making “false statements and incorrect declaration”.

The reference, which alleges that Imran failed to share details of the gifts he retained from the Toshaskhana (during his time as the prime minister) was filed by lawmakers from the ruling coalition last year.

The judgement added that the former premier was found to be indulged in corrupt practices under sections 167 and 173 of the constitution. “A criminal proceeding will be initiated against him over filing a false statement.”

On May 10, Imran had been indicted in the case, rejecting his petition to declare the Toshkhana case inadmissible. However, on July 4, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had overturned the said ruling.

On July 8, an Islamabad district and sessions court had declared the Toshakhana case against Imran to be maintainable. Subsequently, the former premier challenged the session court’s verdict in the IHC.

On August 4, the Islamabad High Court set aside a session court’s verdict that declared the Toshakhana reference against the PTI chairman as maintainable.

IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq had ordered the lower court to rehear the case. The court also rejected the PTI chairman Imran Khan’s appeal to transfer the case to another court and issued a notice for next week on the appeal to restore the right of defence.