Pakistan Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Saturday said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan is facing consequences for his misdeeds and malice, ARY News reported.
ARY News is a Pakistani news channel.
The Interior Minister said that district and sessions judge had given him full opportunity for seven months to come in court and present proof of his innocence but the former prime minister failed to comply with the court orders.
He said that PTI chief remained away from appearing before the court, hence, the court completed legal requirements of the case and announced its verdict. The court decision was made under a systematic manner, he added, as per ARY News.
Sanaullah further said that Khan should file an appeal against the court decision as a forum of the High Court and Supreme Court was open for him. If he proved himself innocent, he would be released, he added.
The minister while responding to a question said that elections would be held in time and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) would arrange general elections after rectifying apprehensions in the census.
He added: “We were not in favor of increasing prices, but IMF forced us to do so and only PTI chief and his government are responsible for price spiral as his government had signed an agreement with the IMF.”
A Pakistan district and sessions court on Saturday sentenced former Prime Minister Imran Khan to three years in prison in the Toshakhana case i.e. for illegally selling state gifts and he has been disqualified from politics for a period of five years, local media reported.
The court also imposed a fine of Rs 100,000 on the PTI chief, Geo News reported.
Khan was arrested from his Zaman Park residence in Lahore soon after being convicted in the Toshakhana case, Geo News reported.
Dawn reported that during the hearing, presided by Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADSJ) Humayun Dilawar, the trial court ruled that charges against the former prime minister in the case were proven.
“Imran Khan deliberately submitted fake details [of Toshakhana gifts] to the ECP and is found guilty of corrupt practices,” he stated and sent the PTI chief to jail for three years under Section 174 of the Election Act.
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