Islamabad: Imran Khan, Former Prime Minister of Pakistan and Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) has been arrested, Saturday August 5, after he was found guilty in Toshakhana case a trial court in Islamabad.
The Islamabad Trial Court bench of Justice Humayun Dilawar declared Imran Khan guilty of “corrupt practices” in the Toshakhana case and sentenced him to three years in jail, local media reported Saturday.
Later in the afternoon today, the former prime minister was arrested by Punjab police from his Zaman Park residence in Lahore
Lahore Police Chief Bilal Siddique Kamiana confirmed the arrest and told Reuters the former prime minister was being transferred to the capital.
The court sentenced Imran, who was absent from court, to three years of imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs.100,000 on him while hearing the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) criminal complaint against the PTI Chief for concealing details of Toshakhana gifts, according to local English daily Dawn.
“The court finds it more than convincing that the complainant (ECP) had provided confidence-inspiring, well-knitted and corroborated evidence, and so the charge against the accused has successfully been proven that the accused has committed offence of corrupt practices by making and publishing false statements/declaration in respect of assets acquired by way of gifts from Toshakhana and disposed of during years 2018-2019 and 2019-2020,” Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADSJ) Humayun Dilawar said in a short order, according to Dawn.
The judge further said that Imran also provided an “incorrect declaration” in the Form-B — the statement of assets and liabilities — submitted to the ECP for the year 2020-2021.
“He has been found guilty of corrupt practices by hiding the benefits he accrued from the national exchequer wilfully and intentionally. He cheated while providing information of gifts he obtained from Toshakhana which later proved to be false and inaccurate.
“His dishonesty has been established beyond doubt,” the court order added.
Imran Khan's lawyers were also not present during the hearing. Commenting on the trial court's order, senior lawyer Aitzaz Ahsan said, "Judge Humayun Dilwar's decision will hoepfully be overturned by the Supreme Court of Pakistan."
"Khan will hopefully be out on bail tomorrow itself", he said.
Meanwhile, reports of protests are coming from different parts of Pakistan following the arrest of Imran Khan.
Earlier, in a video message posted for his supporters, Imran Khan had appealed them to come out on the streets to save what he called "freedom" and against "slavery".
While appealing his supporters to to protest against his arrest, Imran Khan also called upon them to maintain peace.
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