Pakistan’s Imran Khan sentenced to three years in prison, arrested
After a court convicts him guilty of selling state gifts received during foreign tours, the former prime minister calls for protests.
Imran Khan, a former prime minister of Pakistan, was taken into custody by police in the eastern city of Lahore after a court gave him a three-year prison sentence for selling state gifts illegally.
The 70-year-old former cricketer-turned-politician was charged with abusing his position as prime minister from 2018 to 2022 to purchase and resell goods that were brought back from trips abroad and were valued at more than 140 million Pakistani rupees ($497,500).
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Imran Khan, a former Pakistani prime minister, was detained for what reason?
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Imran Khan: Who Is He? | Go Here
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Imran Khan is the subject of an arrest warrant from Pakistan's electoral authority.
His dishonesty has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt, the judge wrote in his decision. He was judged to have engaged in corrupt acts by willfully and purposefully concealing the benefits he received from the public exchequer.
A 100,000-rupee ($355) fine is part of the judgment; failure to pay it could result in an additional six months in jail.
According to Khan's attorney Intezar Panjotha, police detained Khan at his Lahore home. After the decision was announced, police were seen encircling his residence, according to Pakistani media.
Panjotha continued, "We are petitioning the top court to overturn the ruling.
Khan urged his supporters to demonstrate in the streets in a video that was shot before his detention and broadcast on social networking site X, formerly known as Twitter.
I'm only going to make one request or appeal to you. You must not remain motionless in your homes. I'm not fighting for myself; I'm fighting for my country and for you. For the sake of your kids' future, he said.
In the tweet, Khan made mention of the "London Plan," a name he uses to describe a purported scheme to remove him from politics involving the current army chief General Asim Munir and three-time former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who has been living in exile in London since 2019. He hasn't yet offered any proof of its existence.
The "Law of the Jungle"
The well-liked opposition leader has been imprisoned twice so far this year.
In May, his detention for several days in connection with a different case led to a lot of political unrest. Supporters and police engaged in deadly battles, and numerous military sites came under attack.
Khan claimed in a post-event interview with Al Jazeera that he was not so conceited as to think that the nation could not function without him.
"A civilized society is one in which everyone is treated equally under the law. Unfortunately, the rule of the jungle has always applied in Pakistan.
After Saturday's arrest, there have been no reports of new protests starting in any of the big cities.
Khan is facing a criminal charge
Prime ministers were expected to deposit the gifts at the state's safe house, according to Al Jazeera's Kamal Hyder, who was reporting from Islamabad. Khan is alleged to have instead sold the gifts for a profit.
The items allegedly included dinner sets, watches, colognes, and diamond jewelry. Khan claims to have bought the goods legitimately.
It will be fascinating to see if there is a strong response this time or not, he said. Only a few dozen of his followers have so far assembled outside his home and are yelling slogans. Although we are keeping an eye on things, we do not currently anticipate a major response.
A member of Khan's legal team and of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, Babar Awan, called the decision a "ridiculous verdict by a sham court."
"Imran Khan was not given a fair trial, which according to the country's constitution is the right of every citizen," Awan said to Al Jazeera.
Khan did not attend the hearing in court. He was accused of conducting his trial in absentia, which is not permitted by Pakistani law.
Therefore, after their appeal to the high court, Awan stated that there was "every likelihood of suspension of the verdict and early release of Imran Khan."
Since the former prime minister was ousted from office in April of last year after losing a vote of no-confidence, more than 150 lawsuits have been filed against him.
He has asserted that the accusations are politically driven and that he did nothing wrong. His chances of running in the early November national elections could be eliminated if he is found guilty in the case.
Asad Umar, a prominent PTI leader, also criticized the decision in a post on X.
"Justice should be visible, and today's verdict does not adhere to the fundamental principles of the law. The Supreme Court will not uphold this ruling. And significant choices concerning politicians are made by the public, not by judges, he wrote.
While the case against Khan was relatively strong in comparison to other pending accusations, according to attorney Abdul Moiz Jaferii, the court's approach was "farcical."
Khan might have been hauled in by the police or the court may have demanded that he appear at the trial. The court would have been justified in conducting the trial in absentia had he then failed to arrive.
The attorney stated, "What he absolutely should not have done was to proceed with the ruling in his absence" and run the possibility of it being overturned.
Although Pakistan needs the military, Khan is taking on the generals.
before the election:
Khan has claimed time and time again that the army is after him and his party in an effort to prevent him from running in the elections and taking back the reins of power. The army refuted the claim.
The Saturday decision "raises suspicion that the state is in a hurry to disqualify Khan and ensure that he does not participate in the forthcoming general election," according to Lahore-based political analyst Benazir Shah.
According to Shah, Pakistan has a history of "disqualifying elected prime ministers on far less serious charges at the behest of Pakistan's powerful military".
Cyril Almedia, a political analyst, claimed that the arrest had become "inevitable" since neither the administration nor the military establishment would take the chance of letting him go free and participate in politics.
Imran Khan: Who Is He? | Go Here
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