A Pakistan accountability court on Saturday sentenced jailed former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi to 17 years of imprisonment each in the Toshakhana-II corruption case involving alleged misuse of state gifts received from the Saudi government in 2021. The verdict was announced by Special Judge Shahrukh Arjumand inside the high-security Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi. The case centres on accusations that the former first couple committed fraud while handling official gifts obtained during Khan’s tenure as prime minister. The sentencing marks another major legal setback for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder, who has been behind bars since August 2023 in multiple cases.
According to the court order, Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi were awarded 10 years of rigorous imprisonment under Section 409 of the Pakistan Penal Code, which deals with criminal breach of trust. In addition, both were handed seven years in prison under different provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 10 million on each of them. The judgment was delivered amid tight security arrangements within the jail premises. The Toshakhana-II case has drawn widespread attention, as it relates to the handling of gifts received from foreign dignitaries during Khan’s time in office.
The fresh sentencing comes at a time when the Pakistan government is facing increasing criticism over the alleged mistreatment of Imran Khan inside prison. The United Nations has called for Khan’s release from solitary confinement, raising concerns over his incarceration conditions. Earlier this week, Khan’s sons, Kasim Khan and Sulaiman Isa Khan, made serious allegations regarding their father’s treatment, claiming he has been held in solitary confinement for nearly two years. The family demanded “proof of life,” expressing deep concern about his physical and mental well-being.
Speaking publicly, Kasim Khan described the conditions as extremely distressing, saying, “The conditions are not bad, they are awful... He has been in a solitary confinement cell for over two years, where he's had filthy water, and he is around inmates who are dying of hepatitis. We are trying to have faith. It's very hard to see a way out. We are now worried we might never see him again.” Both brothers further alleged that the former prime minister was being “psychologically tortured” in what they referred to as a “death cell” inside Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail.
Imran Khan, 73, has been imprisoned since August 2023 in connection with several cases. Last month, unverified claims of his death circulated on social media platform X, causing widespread concern. However, Pakistani authorities strongly denied the rumours. The Adiala Jail administration stated that Khan is in “completely good health” and receiving all necessary medical care. Officials also dismissed reports of his transfer from the jail as baseless, reiterating that the PTI leadership has been informed about his health and prison status.