An accountability court in Pakistan on Saturday, December 20, 2025, sentenced former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi to 17 years in prison each in the Toshakhana-II corruption case.
Kabul 24: The verdict was delivered by Special Judge Shahrukh Arjumand inside the high-security Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, where Khan has been detained since 2023.
The couple received 10 years of rigorous imprisonment under Section 409 of the Pakistan Penal Code for criminal breach of trust, combined with an additional seven years under various provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, totaling 17 years for each.
The court also imposed a fine of Rs 16.4 million on both defendants, warning that failure to pay would result in additional imprisonment.The Toshakhana-II case centers on allegations of illegal retention and undervaluation of state gifts received during Khan’s tenure as prime minister.
Prosecutors claimed that in 2021, Khan and Bushra Bibi received a luxury Bulgari jewelry set—valued at over Rs 75 million—from Saudi authorities.
The set, including a necklace, bracelet, earrings, and ring, was allegedly purchased at a fraction of its actual worth from the Toshakhana (state depository) through improper valuation and later sold for personal gain, constituting fraud and breach of trust.
Key evidence included records from the Prime Minister’s Office protocol section, appraisals, and testimonies from witnesses such as former military secretary Brigadier (retd) Muhammad Ahmed and appraiser Sohaib Abbas.
The prosecution argued that the gifts were neither properly declared nor deposited as required by Toshakhana rules, which mandate that valuable foreign gifts be retained by the state or purchased at fair market value.
Imran Khan, founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has dismissed the charges as politically motivated, insisting that all procedures followed the 2018 Toshakhana policy and payments were duly made to the national exchequer.
PTI leaders condemned the trial as a “sham” and “political persecution,” vowing to appeal the verdict in the Islamabad High Court.
Bushra Bibi, who had been on bail in this case since October 2024, was taken into custody immediately after the ruling.
This latest conviction adds to Khan’s extensive legal woes, with over 170 cases filed against him since his ouster via a no-confidence vote in 2022.
Previous sentences include terms in the original Toshakhana case, Al-Qadir Trust, and cipher (state secrets) matters. Pakistani authorities maintain that the cases are evidence-based efforts to combat elite corruption.
The ruling intensifies political tensions in Pakistan, where PTI remains a major opposition force despite crackdowns. Analysts predict further unrest as supporters rally against what they call judicial weaponization to sideline Khan from politics.
