ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) made a significant decision on Monday, suspending the sentences of the former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi in Toshakhana case.
This development comes after an accountability court judge handed down a verdict on January 31, finding the couple guilty of misusing the state’s gift repository and sentencing them to 14 years in prison.
The court’s ruling also imposed a hefty fine of Rs787 million each on Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi, marking the culmination of what has been described as one of the fastest trials in the history of accountability courts.
There are some three references filed against Imran Khan in connection with the gifts received. The case originated from a reference filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in December 2023, accusing the former prime minister and his wife of unlawfully retaining valuable gifts received during Imran’s tenure as the country’s chief executive, in violation of prescribed protocol.
Notably, this is not the only legal battle Imran Khan has faced recently. Another trial court, on August 5, 2023, disqualified him and sentenced him to three years in prison for failing to disclose the gifts he received as prime minister in his statements of assets and liabilities submitted to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
The decision by the Islamabad High Court to suspend the sentences brings a new twist to the legal saga surrounding Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi. It underscores the complexity and significance of legal proceedings in cases involving high-profile political figures in Pakistan’s judicial landscape.
