Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan Arrested and Sentenced to Three Years in Prison, Potentially Barred from Upcoming Election
LAHORE, Pakistan (Reuters) – Imran Khan, Pakistan’s former Prime Minister, was arrested in Lahore on Saturday after being sentenced to three years in prison by an Islamabad district court for illegally selling state gifts. This verdict has the potential to eliminate Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s main rival in the upcoming national election expected to be held in November.
According to legal experts, the arrest marks another blow to Khan’s political standing after he fell out with Pakistan’s powerful military and his party splintered. Khan’s lawyer, Intezar Panjotha, confirmed the arrest and stated that they will be filing a petition against the decision in the high court.
Lahore Police Chief Bilal Siddique Kamiana also confirmed the arrest and stated that Khan would be transferred to the capital, Islamabad. He is expected to be held at Central Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, near Islamabad, as per the arrest warrant. Khan’s political party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has already filed an appeal to the Supreme Court earlier on Saturday.
Imran Khan, 70, is a former cricket star who transitioned to politics and served as prime minister from 2018 to 2022. Khan has denied any wrongdoing and released a pre-recorded video address through his party, urging supporters to peacefully protest.
The arrest comes just a day after Pakistan’s high court temporarily halted the district court trial. The reasons for the trial proceeding despite the high court’s decision remain unclear.
Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, in a broadcast statement, emphasized that Khan’s arrest followed a thorough investigation and proper legal proceedings in a trial court. She stated that his arrest was unrelated to the upcoming elections.
The court verdict, shared by Khan’s legal team, revealed that he had made false statements regarding the acquisition of official state gifts. The verdict stated that he had been found guilty of corrupt practices by intentionally providing inaccurate information about gifts obtained from Toshakhana, the state gift repository.
Following the release of the verdict, police surrounded Khan’s residence in Lahore, but there were no immediate signs of unrest. In May, when Khan was arrested and detained for several days over a separate case, his arrest sparked political turmoil and deadly clashes between his supporters and the police. Since then, thousands of his aides and supporters have been arrested, and many pro-Khan parliamentarians have distanced themselves from him, with some even resigning from politics.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has proposed dissolving parliament on August 9, three days before the end of its term, which would pave the way for a general election in November, according to political sources. In Khan’s absence, PTI official Shah Mehmood Qureshi, a former foreign minister, will lead the party.
Khan’s conviction stems from a case initially investigated by the election commission, which found him guilty of unlawfully selling state gifts while he was prime minister. The gifts, received during his visits abroad, were worth over 140 million Pakistani rupees ($635,000).
Since his ouster from the premiership in April 2022, Khan has faced charges in various cases. His removal from power came amidst worsening relations between him and then army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa. Khan has accused the army, now under General Asim Munir, of targeting him and his party in an effort to keep him out of the elections and prevent his return to power. The army, however, denies these allegations.
Reporting by Mubasher Bukhari in Lahore, Gibran Naiyyar Peshimam in Karachi, and Charlotte Greenfield in Islamabad; Editing by William Mallard, Simon Cameron-Moore, Frances Kerry, and Giles Elgood