Pak court suspends Imran Khan’s 14-year jail term in corruption case
ISLAMABAD: In a significant development for former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, a high court on Monday suspended the 14-year prison sentence handed to him and his wife Bushra Bibi in the Toshakhana corruption case.
The two were sentenced to 14 years in jail each by an accountability court on January 31 for allegedly receiving state gifts unlawfully prior to the general elections, the couple appealed the verdict in the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
A two-member bench led by IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq granted them bail and suspended their sentence on Monday. However, their appeals will be further reviewed after the upcoming Eid festival.
It is worth noting that Khan and his wife may not be immediately released as they face convictions in other cases.
In the Toshakhana corruption case, the 71-year-old former cricketer-turned-politician is accused of unlawfully retaining costly state gifts they received during his tenure as Pakistan’s premier.
Under the rules governing Toshakhana - a Persian word meaning “treasure house” - government officials can keep gifts by paying a price for them but first the gift should be deposited. Khan and his wife either failed to deposit the gift or got it for a low price by allegedly using their authority.
The conviction of Khan in the Toshakhana case had come a day after he was awarded 10 years in jail in the cipher case on January 30. Earlier, he was also convicted in a different Toshakhana case in August 2023, leading to his arrest.
The latest conviction was based on the charges of misusing his authority as Prime Minister to retain gifts he or his spouse got during his tenure. It was filed by the National Accountability Bureau. The previous Toshakhana graft case was filed by the Election Commission of Pakistan in the charges of hiring the sale of state gifts.
Khan so far has been
convicted in four different cases since losing power in April 2022. He has got bail in both Toshakhana cases.
The 84-year-old NC patron has been questioned by the ED in the case several times, the last in October 2020 at
Srinagar.
