Imran Khan Calls for Mass Protests After 17-Year Toshakhana Sentence

ISLAMABAD : Former Prime Minister and PTI founder Imran Khan has called for a nationwide “street movement” following an Islamabad court’s decision to sentence him and his wife, Bushra Bibi, to 17 years in prison. The ruling, linked to the Toshakhana-II corruption case, has sparked immediate calls for defiance from the incarcerated leader.

Through his legal team, Khan instructed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi to begin immediate preparations for mass demonstrations. “The entire nation will have to rise for its rights,” Khan stated in a message relayed from prison.

The sentencing involves allegations that Khan and Bushra Bibi undervalued a Bulgari jewelry set—a gift from the Saudi Crown Prince worth over PKR 71 million. The court handed down the 17-year sentence under charges of corruption and criminal breach of trust.

Khan, however, dismissed the ruling as “baseless” and “hasty,” claiming the judge reached a verdict without hearing his legal team or fulfilling basic legal requirements. He has already directed his lawyers to challenge the decision in the Islamabad High Court.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) issued a scathing statement describing the conviction as “blatantly unconstitutional” and a “textbook case of political victimization.” PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja alleged that the case lacked substantive evidence and relied solely on promissory notes.

“I am standing firm and resolute and will not seek an apology from anyone, come what may,” Raja quoted Khan as saying.

The verdict has deepened the divide in Pakistan. In cities like Lahore and Peshawar, residents expressed growing skepticism toward the judiciary. “The public no longer has any confidence in these rulings,” said Lahore resident Hamid Riaz Doger.

As the PTI prepares for a massive street movement, the government faces heightened pressure to maintain order amidst claims that the judiciary is being used as a tool for political exclusion.