Former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his spouse, Bushra Bibi, received a 14-year jail sentence in the Toshakhana reference. The sentencing occurred at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, where Khan is currently held. Both face a ban from public office for a decade and a fine of Rs787 million each. Bushra Bibi was absent in court.
Judge Muhammad Bashir announced the sentence, which includes rigorous punishment in the Toshakhana reference and disqualifies Khan from holding office for 10 years. Additionally, the court imposed a fine of Rs1.57 billion on the couple.
During the last hearing at Adiala jail, Bushra Bibi provided her statement under Section 342, while Khan maintained her non-involvement in the case. He expressed that she was unjustly implicated. When Judge Bashir inquired about Khan’s statement at the hearing’s start, the former prime minister deferred it until his lawyers’ arrival, claiming he was misled about the hearing’s purpose.
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) upheld the validity of Khan’s jail trial in the Toshakhana and £190 million settlement cases. The IHC dismissed Khan’s petitions against the jail trial, noting the decision stemmed from security concerns, not malice. The court, led by Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Tariq Jahangiri, also rejected objections to the accountability judge’s appointment.
The IHC clarified that the executive determines the sessions court’s location, but in its absence, the court can decide. The judgment states that the court must follow the executive order if provided. Regarding the cipher case appeal, the IHC noted the lack of specific laws for hearing locations under the Official Secrets Act, applying Section 352 of the Criminal Code instead.
The court acknowledged the valid objection to the jail hearing notification’s timing. The NAB prosecutor indicated that bail and remand proceedings were ongoing then. However, the court stated that neither executive nor trial court orders could invalidate the proceedings.
Read: Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi Sentenced to 10 Years in Cipher Case
