The former prime minister and the Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi are sentenced to 14 years in jail in the toshakhana case. The decision comes just few days before next general elections, which are to be held on February 18, 2024.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf is facing severe victimization on many levels. Almost all of its senior leadership have been sent to jail, anyone who have came forward and announced through a press conference that they are leaving PTI, is spared. Otherwise, even those getting who are getting aquital from jail via some court order, were arrested again and again outside jails by misusing the laws which allow the police to hold the individuals in custody temporarily to maintain peace.
Now if we only just take the example of Toshakhana, in laws about toshakhana, no one can take a vehicle from toshakhana. However, there are politicians who have taken vehicles from toshakhana, they are free right now and Imran Khan who claims to have done everything under the law, is sentenced to many years in jail.
Same with Imran Khan’s party, PTI, the symbol of bat is forcefully taken away from PTI. Allegations are that PTI have not given the enough time to party election participants for campaign. Imagine when whole of top leadership of a party has been dismantled, the remaining leaders, who are still with PTI, are in jail. The party is not being allowed to have elections rallies, how, you can you expect them to be able to do everything as normal.
About the today’s decision, the hearing was conducted in the Adiala jail by the accountability judge Muhammad Bashir. Imran Khan who came from prison room to courtroom for attendance, was told to submit his statement in his case. He told the court that the statement is in the prison room, he only came here for attendance, his lawyers are even not here yet. He also insisted that he needs to show the statement to lawyers then he can submit the statement. On that, judge said that please do not waste the time of court. Shortly after, when Imran Khan left the courtroom, judge sentenced Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi to 14 years in jail.
Imran Khan surely will challenge the decision in higher courts but for now, he and his wife has been sentenced to 14 years in jail. It is also to be seen and judged that if Imran Khan was given the fair chance to defend himself or the decision was made in a haste.