Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan arrested and sentenced to three years

Imran Khan, the renowned former cricket captain of Pakistan and ex-Prime Minister from 2018 to 2022, has been arrested once again and handed a significant three-year prison sentence. The trial court found him guilty of concealing revenue derived from state gifts received during his tenure as Prime Minister.

Imran Khan, the former Pakistan cricket captain and Prime Minister who served from 2018 to 2022, has been arrested once again and handed a three-year prison sentence. The arrest followed a trial court's ruling that he failed to declare the proceeds from state gifts received during his tenure as Prime Minister to the Election Commission of Pakistan. Imran's political party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, has filed an appeal with the country's Supreme Court in response to the sentencing.

In the past, attempts to arrest Imran from his residence were met with strong resistance from his supporters, leading to thwarted arrest attempts and subsequent unrest across the country. After his arrest on May 9, widespread protests and riots erupted, prompting a crackdown on his party and a contentious move to try his supporters in military courts, a violation of international law. However, the Supreme Court intervened and declared his initial arrest as illegal, ordering his release on May 11.

Since his release, Imran has faced numerous court appearances, with over 150 cases registered against him. He has expressed concerns about the possibility of imprisonment in various interviews and through his social media channels.

The case that led to his recent conviction is locally referred to as the Toshakhana case, where he was found guilty of concealing revenue generated from the sale of state gifts to the Election Commission of Pakistan. The court imposed the maximum allowable penalty, sentencing him to three years in prison and fining him PKR 100,000. However, Imran's legal team has already lodged an appeal, and according to the law, the appellate court can suspend the sentence until a final verdict is reached on the appeal.

Before entering politics, Imran had a remarkable cricket career, representing Pakistan in 88 Test matches and 175 ODIs, and famously leading the team to victory in the 1992 World Cup.