Written verdict finds both guilty of criminal breach of trust as PTI leaders vow action
Imran Khan and wife Bushra Bibi. Photo: File
A special court sentenced Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder and former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi to 17 years in prison each in the Toshakhana-II case, which centres on allegations that the couple unlawfully retained a Bulgari jewellery set gifted by the Saudi Crown Prince during an official visit to Saudi Arabia.
Special Judge Central Arjumand Shah announced the verdict on Saturday at Adiala Jail in the presence of Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi. According to the written judgement issued by the court, the prosecution successfully proved its case, and both accused were found guilty of the offence.
Later, the accountability court released a detailed verdict in the Toshakhana-II case, outlining the legal proceedings and evidence that led to the conviction of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi.
The 59-page detailed judgement was issued by Special Judge Central Shah Rukh Arjumand. According to the verdict, the reference in the case was filed before an accountability court on September 7, 2024, and transferred to the court of the Special Judge Central on September 9, 2024.
Under the verdict, Imran Khan was sentenced to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment under Section 409 of the Pakistan Penal Code and fined Rs164.25 million. In case of non-payment of the fine, he will serve an additional six months in prison. He was also awarded a seven-year sentence under Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Bushra Bibi was similarly sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment under Section 409 PPC and an additional seven years under the Prevention of Corruption Act, along with a fine of Rs164.25 million.
The verdict said the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) submitted its report on September 23, 2024, adding that the investigation against the accused began on the basis of a source report. It noted that Italian authorities, including the Italian Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, extended full cooperation in the investigation.
The court stated that a detailed, verified report obtained from a Bulgarian company was translated into English and presented as evidence. Former military secretary Brigadier (retd) Muhammad Ahmed testified that he accompanied former prime minister Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi on an official visit to Saudi Arabia from May 7 to May 10, 2021.
According to the judgement, the former prime minister did not deposit a gift received from the host country in the Toshakhana upon his return and instead retained it. The prosecution completed its evidence on October 6, 2025, while both accused recorded their statements under Section 342 of the Criminal Procedure Code on October 9, 2025.
The verdict said both Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi pleaded innocence but did not present any evidence in their defence. The prosecution cited four key judicial precedents to support its case and argued that the former prime minister, as a public office holder, obtained financial benefits with the assistance of his spouse.
During arguments, Imran Khan’s counsel Qausain Faisal Mufti contended that the FIA lacked the legal authority to submit a challan against the accused and argued that under anti-corruption rules, the prime minister was not defined as a public servant. The court, however, rejected these arguments, ruling that the prosecution had successfully proved its case.
The court said it had shown leniency in sentencing, taking into account Imran Khan’s advanced age and Bushra Bibi’s status as a woman. It also ordered that certified copies of the detailed judgement be provided to both convicts free of cost.
The implementation of the Toshakhana-II verdict began on Saturday, with jail authorities completing all required formalities in accordance with the court’s order, prison sources said. Bushra Bibi’s bail in the case has lapsed following the verdict. Both she and Khan were already serving sentences in the £190 million case, and the sentence in the Toshakhana-II case has also taken effect from today.
PTI cries foul
Speaking to the media outside Adiala Jail, PTI’s counsel Barrister Salman Safdar said the legal team was informed at 8pm on Friday that proceedings would take place at 9am on Saturday.
He said that on October 16, the judge had adjourned the case and fixed Saturday for arguments, not for the announcement of a verdict. “The judge did something illegal. The verdict was announced in the absence of lawyers,” he said, adding that the judge issued a 59-page written decision.
He said Khan has instructed him to file an appeal in the High Court.
PTI leader Salman Akram Raja said “there was an order requiring the presence of family members during the hearing”, adding that as part of the legal team, it is their right to be present during the hearing.
Commenting on the case, Raja said it lacked substance. “These are frivolous cases built on the weakest testimony, they have no witness except the person whom the PTI founder himself removed,” he said.
Khan’s sister, Aleema, said injustice had been ongoing for the past two and a half years. “We were in Lahore, there was fog, and they knowingly announced the decision. A barricade was set up one kilometre before here from both sides,” she said.
She claimed that Khan had directed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi to prepare for a street movement.
Meanwhile, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Special Assistant for Information and Public Relations Shafi Jan issued a statement terming the case “concocted, fake and baseless”. He added that “Imran Khan is not being given access to his lawyers, sentencing him under these circumstances is a mockery of justice.”
Jan said that PTI will decide its course of action after consulting legal experts regarding the verdict. MNA Asad Qaiser also declared, “now we have no option left, we will come out on the streets and there will only be resistance.”
He added, “if anyone thinks we will be scared, they are mistaken; we want justice for the PTI founder”
Government’s response
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said that the PTI founder and Bushra Bibi had turned the Prime Minister House into a business and defamed Pakistan’s name in the world.
Speaking to a private channel, Tarar said the entire nation saw how maximum wealth was made through fraud. “Profit was earned by selling Toshakhana gifts and the national treasury was harmed by putting low valuations on gifts,” he said.
According to Tarar, it has been proven in the Toshakhana case that the PTI founder committed corruption and the gifts received were sold at dirt cheap prices compared to market rates. He said the sentence will be served consecutively after the sentence of the £190 million corruption case expires.
Meanwhile, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister, Rana Sanaullah, termed the verdict as living proof of corruption during PTI’s tenure. In a statement, he said that Khan and Bushra Bibi were sentenced according to the constitution and law.
Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari echoed this, adding that during PTI’s governmental tenure, Toshakhana rules were changed and that fake entries of gifts received in Toshakhana kept happening.
The case
The Toshakhana-II case refers to allegations that Khan and his wife unlawfully retained a Bulgari jewellery set gifted by the Saudi Crown Prince during their visit to Saudi Arabia from July 7 to 10, 2021. Khan and Bushra Bibi have maintained that they retained the gifts after paying half of their assessed value.
According to FIA records, the total value of the jewellery set, which included a necklace, bracelet, ring and earrings, exceeded Rs70 million. The FIA, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, obtained a Letter of Mutual Legal Assistance from Bulgari in Italy and presented a letter detailing the original price before the court.
However, the prosecution said the accused had the jewellery set valued at only Rs5.9 million by a private firm, while the gift was not deposited in the Toshakhana, the state repository, as required. The valuation was carried out through private appraiser Sohail Abbasi and later through customs authorities. Abbasi told the court that Khan’s private secretary, Inamullah Shah, exerted pressure for a lower valuation.
On July 13, 2024, the National Accountability Bureau arrested Khan and Bushra Bibi while they were already lodged in Adiala Jail. They remained in NAB custody for 37 days. Following the Supreme Court’s restoration of the NAB amendments on September 9, the Accountability Court transferred the case to an FIA court.
The trial began on September 16, 2024, with Special Judge (Central) Shahrukh Arjumand conducting the first hearing in Adiala Jail. The Islamabad High Court granted bail to Bushra Bibi on October 23, and she was released the following day. Khan was granted bail on November 20, while charges were formally framed on December 12.
The trial continued for around a year, during which more than 80 hearings were held and 20 witnesses were presented. Key witnesses included former military secretary Brigadier (retd) Muhammad Ahmed, Sohail Abbasi and Inamullah Shah.
The prosecution team included Federal Prosecutor Zulfiqar Abbas Naqvi, Barrister Umair Majid Malik, Bilal Butt and Shahvez Gilani. Khan and Bushra Bibi were represented by Arshad Tabraiz, Qausain Faisal Mufti and Barrister Salman Safdar.
