ANI | ~6–7 minutes
Updated: Dec 21, 2025 | 09:22 IST
Rawalpindi/Islamabad [Pakistan], December 21 (ANI): A special court of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has sentenced former Pakistan Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi to 17 years of imprisonment each in the Toshakhana-II corruption case, as reported by Dawn.
The verdict was delivered on Saturday by Special Judge Central Shahrukh Arjumand during proceedings held at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, where Imran Khan is currently incarcerated. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 16.4 million on each convict, warning that failure to pay would result in additional imprisonment.
According to the court order cited by Dawn, a “lenient view” was taken while awarding the sentence due to Imran Khan’s old age and the fact that Bushra Bibi is a woman. “This court, while passing sentences, has considered the old age of Imran Ahmed Khan Niazi, as well as the fact that Bushra Imran Khan is a female,” the order stated.
Imran Khan was sentenced to a total of 17 years’ imprisonment, comprising 10 years of rigorous imprisonment under Sections 34 (common intention) and 409 (criminal breach of trust) of the Pakistan Penal Code, and seven years under Section 5(2) (criminal misconduct by public servants) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. Bushra Bibi received an identical sentence under the same legal provisions. The benefit of Section 382-B of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), which allows the period of detention to be counted toward the sentence, was also granted.
The case pertains to allegations that an expensive Bulgari jewellery set—gifted to Imran Khan by the Saudi Crown Prince during an official visit in May 2021—was unlawfully retained after being purchased at a significantly undervalued price. The jewellery is alleged to be worth over PKR 71 million.
Following the verdict, both Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi announced plans to challenge the ruling in the Islamabad High Court. Through his legal team, Khan conveyed a message to his supporters calling for nationwide protests and preparations for a mass street movement.
“I have sent a message to [Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister] Sohail Afridi to prepare for the street movement. The entire nation will have to rise for its rights,” Khan said, according to a post on X relaying his conversation with his lawyer. Khan, who currently lacks direct access to his social media accounts, stated that the verdict did not surprise him and described it as another in a series of politically motivated decisions.
“Like the baseless decisions and sentences of the last three years, the Toshakhana-II decision is nothing new to me. This decision was given in haste, without any evidence, and without fulfilling legal requirements. My legal team was not even heard,” he said.
PTI issued an official statement condemning the verdict as “blatantly unconstitutional, illegal, malicious, and the worst form of political revenge,” describing it as a textbook case of political victimisation. Party leaders alleged that the conviction was aimed at prolonging Khan’s imprisonment and easing pressure on what they termed a “petrified ruling clique,” accusing a “subservient judiciary” of undermining the rule of law.
Addressing a press conference alongside senior PTI leader Asad Qaiser, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja said that Imran Khan met his lead counsel, Barrister Salman Safdar, in the courtroom and conveyed a message to the nation. Quoting Khan, Raja said, “I am standing firm and resolute and will not seek an apology from anyone, come what may.”
Raja further alleged that the prosecution’s case relied solely on promissory notes and lacked substantive evidence, claiming there were no independent witnesses.
Earlier, during his statement under Section 342 of the CrPC, Imran Khan had rejected the prosecution’s narrative, calling the case “malicious, fabricated, and politically engineered.” He argued that he did not qualify as a “public servant” under the Pakistan Penal Code and claimed he was unaware of the specific details of the gift, stating that it had been presented to his wife. Khan maintained that all procedures were followed in accordance with the Toshakhana Policy 2018 and that the gift was duly reported, assessed, and legally retained after payment was deposited into the national exchequer.
The sentencing has sparked public debate and criticism across Pakistan. Speaking to ANI, residents and journalists in Lahore and Peshawar questioned the credibility of the judicial process. Lahore resident Hamid Riaz Doger said the public no longer had confidence in court rulings, citing recent convictions where individuals were allegedly sentenced despite not being present at the scene.
Another Lahore resident, Zaki Ullah Mujahid, said the verdict had further weakened public faith in democratic institutions. “If we want to move our country forward, every institution and every individual must operate within the framework of the constitution and the law. The forceful way in which this matter is being pursued is certainly not commendable,” he said.
The case continues to draw national and international attention as Imran Khan’s legal team prepares to challenge the ruling in the high court.
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