Islamabad High Court Suspends 14-Year Jail Term Of Former Pakistani PM Imran Khan & His Wife

Islamabad High Court (IHC) suspended the 14-year sentence given to former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi in the Toshakhana corruption case today. IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq said appeal against the punishment would be fixed for hearing after Eid holidays.

The beleaguered couple were sentenced to 14 years in jail each by an accountability court on the 31st of January for alleged corruption in state gifts they got from the state depository, days before the general elections. According to the verdict, Khan and Bushra were barred from holding any public office for 10 years and slapped with a fine of 787 million Pakistani rupees each.

In the Toshakhana corruption case, the 71-year-old former cricketer-turned-politician is accused of retaining expensive state gifts they received during his tenure as Pakistan’s premier. Under the rules governing Toshakhana – a Persian word meaning “treasure house” – government officials can keep gifts by paying a price for them but first the gift should be deposited. Khan and his wife either failed to deposit the gift or got it for a low price by allegedly using their authority.