Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi have been sentenced to 17 years in prison in the Toshakhana 2 corruption case, a verdict that has triggered fresh political tension in Pakistan. The case relates to alleged misreporting and misuse of high-value state gifts received from Saudi Arabia in 2021. A day after the verdict, Khan issued a call for nationwide protests through a message released online, openly challenging the court’s decision while remaining in jail.
Toshakhana 2 Case & Sentencing
The Toshakhana 2 case centres on allegations that Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi failed to properly declare or unlawfully benefited from expensive gifts received during Khan’s tenure as prime minister. The gifts were routed through the Toshakhana, a department under Pakistan’s Cabinet Division that records, stores and regulates the retention of gifts presented to state officials.
Prosecutors alleged that the couple provided inaccurate details regarding the gifts’ value and handling, violating established rules. The court found them guilty, handing down 17-year prison terms to both. Khan, now 73, has been incarcerated since August 2023 in connection with multiple legal cases, which his party insists are politically motivated.
Protest Call Sparks Fresh Controversy
A day after the sentencing, Khan released a message calling for mass protests across Pakistan. The appeal appeared in a video conversation with his lawyers that was later uploaded to his account on X, formerly Twitter. As jail regulations bar Khan from accessing the internet, it remains unclear who uploaded the clip.
In the video, Khan urged supporters to take to the streets and said he had instructed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi to prepare for a protest movement. “The entire nation will have to rise for its rights,” Khan said, adding that he was ready to make any sacrifice for what he called Pakistan’s “true freedom”.
Reacting to the developments, Khan’s former wife Jemima Goldsmith tweeted that their sons viewed the treatment of their father as “barbaric”, further intensifying international attention on the case.