Imran Khan Calls for Nationwide Protests After Court Ruling 17-Year Sentence in Toshakhana-II Case for Him and Wife Bushra Bibi

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Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has called for nationwide protests and announced plans to challenge his conviction in the Toshakhana-II corruption case. The verdict was delivered on Saturday, December 20, 2025, when a special court of Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) sentenced Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, to 17 years in prison each.

Khan’s call for protests was conveyed through a message shared from his X account following a conversation with his lawyers at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, where he has been incarcerated since August 2023. He urged his party leadership, particularly Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, to prepare for a street movement, saying the public must mobilise to reclaim its rights.

“I have sent a message to (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister) Sohail Afridi to prepare for the street movement. The entire nation will have to rise for its rights,” he said.

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The former prime minister said the verdict did not come as a surprise and directed his legal team to file an appeal in the High Court. He alleged that the ruling was delivered hastily, without proper scrutiny of evidence, and claimed that his defence lawyers were not given a fair opportunity to present their case.

“Like the baseless decisions and sentences of the last three years, the Toshakhana-II decision is also nothing new to me. This decision was given in haste by the judge without any evidence and without fulfilling the legal requirements,” he claimed.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the party founded by Khan, said it has issued mobilisation instructions across provinces and that protests would be carried out in a coordinated manner. The party described the verdict as politically motivated and said workers have been instructed to remain on the streets as part of a long-term protest strategy.

The Toshakhana-II case centres on allegations that Khan and his wife illegally acquired an expensive jewellery set gifted by the Saudi Crown Prince during an official visit in May 2021 by paying a nominal amount, in violation of rules governing state gifts. Toshakhana is a government department that manages gifts received by Pakistani rulers and officials from foreign dignitaries.

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Under the ruling, Khan was sentenced to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment under various sections of the Pakistan Penal Code and an additional seven years under the Prevention of Corruption Act, bringing the total sentence to 17 years. Bushra Bibi received an identical sentence under the same legal provisions.

The court also imposed a fine of Rs 16.4 million on both Khan and Bushra Bibi, warning that failure to pay would result in further imprisonment. In its written order, the court said it had considered Khan’s age and Bushra Bibi’s gender while awarding what it described as a comparatively lenient punishment.

In statements attributed to Khan, he alleged that he and his wife are being subjected to harsh prison conditions, including solitary confinement. He also criticised the military leadership for his continued detention and reiterated that the verdict was politically motivated. Khan has faced multiple legal cases since his removal from office through a no-confidence vote in April 2022.

(With Inputs from IANS)

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