It is Sunday here in Pakistan, and in Pakistan today we are at a fateful crossroads. Imprisoned opposition leader Imran Khan, president of Pakistan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, addresses supporters outside the Central Jail in Peshawar February 11, 2008.
In a message delivered through his lawyers from Rawalpindi’s high-security Adiala Jail, Khan called on the nation to “prepare for countrywide protests” — signalling what many consider could be the last and fiercest round of his “Haqeeqi Azadi” (True Freedom) movement.
The Toshakhana-II Judgment: A Deeper Look at the Sentence
The country’s political scene was rocked on Saturday, December 20 when the special court gave its judgment. The Toshakhana-II, also referred to as the state gifts corruption case, was about corrupt practices of receiving gifts from other heads of states.
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The Specifics of the Judgment
The jail held the hearing in the prison where Special Judge Central Shahrukh Arjumand hears the case. The court had convicted Khan and Bushra Bibi for keeping and selling an expensive set of Bulgari jewelry — a present given to them by the Saudi Crown Prince in 2021 – at ironically one-twentieth of its true worth.
Total= Sentence: 17 years for Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi
The details: 10 years RI (Rigorous Imprisonment) for criminal breach of trust (Section 409 PPC), plus another 7 years for criminal misconduct by public servants.
Monetary Penalty: They were levied a fine totalling ₹1.64 crore (PKR 16.4 million). If you don’t, you get more jail time.
A ‘Lenient’ View The judge observed that a lenient view had been taken since Khan was an old man (73 years of age) and Bushra Bibi is a woman.
“Jihad is Prayer”: Khan’s Call to the Street
The statement, which was shared at midnight on his official X (erstwhile Twitter) account and is said to have been dictated to his lawyers by Imran Khan denounced the ruling as a ”military-style trial decision” based on no evidence.
Khan’s directive was precise and targeted his power base in the north. He has also reportedly messaged Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi to organise for a big street movement.
“Nothing new for me as this is my fourth baseless conviction & sentence by frauduulent NAB. Like its masters, NAB’s propaganda against critics failed to build pressure in past 3 cases coming from judgement; InshaAllah will meet same fate here Also Will rise again inshAllah,” Maryam said.
The PTI Strategy: Aggressive Agitation
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party has called the conviction the “ugliest form of political victimization.” Party leaders, Secretary General Salman Akram Raja and Asad Qaiser have also confirmed that:
Move To High Court: The case will now move to the Islamabad High Court, where his legal team will challange the “perverse” judgement.
Organised demonstrations: Mobilisation directives have been given to provinces for prolonged agitation.
Lawyers’ Front: AIG Babar has handed over the leadership of constitutionalism to the insaf lawyers forum.
A Section 144 Country: The Security Scene
And the government has responded quickly and forcefully. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar welcomed the judgment, saying it had been delivered on “solid evidence” of a “breach of public trust.”
With the protest calls mounting, security is being ramped up in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. The ban on public gatherings under Section 144 is still in place, and the administration cautioned that anyone found trying to close motorways or interfere with daily life will face severe consequences.
Why It Matters: The Human Cost of Polarization
The sentencing of a leading opposition figure and his wife at a time when the country is grappling with economic turmoil and a deteriorating law-and-order situation has alarmed international observers. In the eyes of every person in such cities as Lahore, Karachi or Peshawar, the credibility of the judiciary is hanging in balance.
The state says “no one is above the law”, but Khan’s supporters see a “Kangaroo court” established to sideline a popular leader for good. As Pakistan braces for a week of potential unrest on the streets, the real question is: can its system survive such levels of political friction?
