Sentenced to 3 years imprisonment, Imran Khan Islamabad | Pakistan | Imran Khan
According to foreign media reports, on the 5th local time, the Islamabad District Court in Pakistan sentenced former Prime Minister and Justice Movement Party Chairman Imran Khan to 3 years in prison on corruption charges, stripped him of his eligibility to run for or hold public office for 5 years, and fined him 100000 Pakistani rupees.
The court issued an arrest warrant on the same day, and subsequently, Imran Khan was arrested by the police at his private residence in Lahore, the capital of Punjab Province in eastern Pakistan, and has been sent to prison for detention.
Screenshot of the report
The judge found that Imran Khan made a mistake in declaring the details of his gift collection, illegally sold national gifts, and profited 140 million Pakistani rupees.
Imran Khan denies any misconduct and claims that he legally purchased these gifts from the government's gift custody department, Toshakana. Previously, Imran Khan requested a postponement of the trial in this case, citing concerns about the objectivity of the trial and the bias of the judges. However, the Supreme Court of Pakistan rejected his request in July of this year.
After the verdict, Imran Khan's social media account posted a pre recorded video saying, "My arrest was expected, and when you saw this news, it indicated that I was about to be imprisoned."
He urged supporters to oppose this ruling, "I have only one appeal, hoping that everyone will continue to protest peacefully and not sit silently at home. I am fighting for the future of you, your country, and your children."
After the court ruling was announced, the deputy chairman of the Justice Movement Party, Kureshi, immediately convened an emergency meeting of the party's core committee and announced a peaceful protest nationwide to oppose the "illegal arrest" of Imran Khan.
The Justice Movement Party stated in a statement that the court's ruling was "flawed and highly biased" and "a political retaliation." Imran Khan's legal team will appeal the ruling to the Islamabad High Court.
Imran Khan's legal team stated on the 6th that their application to meet with him was rejected by the court, and therefore they are unable to file an urgent lawsuit against the court's conviction.
The legal team also expressed concerns about the prison where Imran Khan was detained. The prison is highly guarded and famous for its harsh conditions, according to reports.
Al Jazeera reported that the ruling almost ended any hope for Imran Khan to participate in the national elections held in November this year. Anyone convicted of criminal charges will be disqualified from participating in Pakistan's elections. Imran Khan claimed that the lawsuit against him was aimed at preventing him from participating in the election.
However, the Pakistani government firmly denies any political motive behind the arrest or revocation of Imran Khan's candidacy.
Pakistan's Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Marium Olangzeb, stated that the arrest of Imran Khan was "carried out after thorough investigation and due court proceedings", and "he must take legal responsibility for his actions, which is not related to politics. A person proven guilty by the court must be arrested."
Imran Khan led the Justice Movement Party to win the National Assembly elections in Pakistan in 2018 and was elected as Prime Minister. Subsequently, the opposition party held frequent rallies and demanded the recall of Imran Khan on the grounds of election unfairness and fraud.
On April 10, 2022, the National Assembly of Pakistan passed a motion of no confidence against Prime Minister Imran Khan, who faced over 100 charges and became the first Prime Minister in Pakistani history to be dismissed by the National Assembly.
On May 9th this year, Imran Khan, who was appearing in trial at the Islamabad High Court, was arrested by the Pakistani paramilitary armed forces and law enforcement forces directly managed by the Ministry of the Interior, known as the "Cavalry Force". This sparked clashes between supporters of Imran Khan and the Pakistani military and police, as well as a series of protests and demonstrations.
The Pakistani parliament will dissolve on August 9th and be taken over by the caretaker government before the elections. At present, the election date in Pakistan has not been announced, but according to the constitution, the election should be held in early November. However, the Pakistani Minister of Law stated on the 5th that new elections must be held after the implementation of the new census results.