In a significant development, an accountability court in Islamabad issued a 14-year prison sentence to former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, in the Toshakhana graft case. Accountability Judge Mohammad Bashir presided over the hearing, which took place at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, where Imran Khan is presently held. Both individuals have been barred from holding any public office for ten years and were fined Rs787 million. Notably, Bushra Bibi was absent from court on the specified day.
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This verdict follows a separate ruling by a special court, established under the Official Secrets Act, which sentenced Imran Khan and his Foreign Minister, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, to 10 years in prison in a cipher case. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) initiated a new reference against Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi last month, alleging their retention of a jewelry set from the Saudi crown prince at an undervalued assessment.
The judge had previously concluded the cross-examination of prosecution witnesses and directed Imran Khan and his spouse to provide their statements under Section 342 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. This verdict comes just eight days before the scheduled February 8 general elections, in which the PTI is participating amidst a state crackdown and without an electoral symbol.
