Islamabad/Rawalpindi, December 20, 2025: The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Saturday welcomed the Toshakhana-2 verdict against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi, with government ministers terming the sentences lawful and in accordance with the Constitution.
A special court earlier in the day sentenced former prime minister Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi to 17 years’ imprisonment each in the Toshakhana-2 case, which pertains to the under-priced purchase of luxury state gifts.
Reacting to the ruling, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the verdict was based on justice, asserting that state gifts were fraudulently undervalued, causing losses of millions of rupees to the national exchequer. He alleged that the gifts were deliberately assessed at a much lower value, retained for personal use, and that Bushra Bibi withheld the gifts to derive financial benefit.
Tarar further said the sentences in the Toshakhana-2 case would take effect after the completion of Imran Khan’s sentence in the £190 million case. “Once the 14-year sentence concludes, the 17-year sentence will begin thereafter,” he added.
Minister of State for Law and Justice Barrister Aqeel Malik said the decision was fully in line with the Constitution and the law, maintaining that the former premier and his wife had the Bulgari jewellery set deliberately assessed at a lower value. Minister of State for Railways and Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani echoed similar views, stating that depositing gifts in the Toshakhana was mandatory and that fraud had been committed by acquiring the gift for a nominal amount.
Minister of State for Interior and Narcotics Control Talal Chaudhry said the outcome was welcome, but noted that the decision should have come earlier to avoid controversy. He described the case as “very clear,” adding that conviction was inevitable and that there was no viable defence available to the accused.
Chaudhry further remarked that the PTI founder and Bushra Bibi did not leave behind even routine household items, while a rare necklace worth billions of rupees globally was wrongly valued, enabling its retention after paying only a small amount. He said Toshakhana gifts were held by rulers as a trust and that this trust had been breached. While the case took around 14 to 15 months to conclude, he said it could have been decided within weeks.
The verdict was pronounced by Special Judge Central Shahrukh Arjumand after more than 80 hearings conducted at Adiala Jail. Under the judgment, Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi were sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment each under Section 409 of the Pakistan Penal Code, along with an additional seven years each under Section 5 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947. The court also imposed total fines amounting to Rs16.4 million.
The case originated on July 13, 2024, when the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) took both accused into custody at Adiala Jail. They remained in NAB custody for 37 days, after which a reference was filed in the Accountability Court on August 20, 2024.
Following a Supreme Court ruling on amendments to NAB laws, the case was transferred to the FIA Anti-Corruption Court on September 9, 2024. The FIA subsequently added charges under Section 5 of the PCA, 1947, and Section 409 of the PPC. Trial proceedings formally commenced on September 16, 2024, with hearings held at Adiala Jail.
Bushra Bibi was granted bail by the Islamabad High Court on October 23, 2024, and released the following day, while Imran Khan secured bail on November 20, 2024. Formal charges were framed against both on December 12, 2024. The trial continued for nearly a year, with over 80 hearings conducted.
During the proceedings, the prosecution recorded statements from 21 witnesses and completed cross-examinations of 18 key witnesses, including former military secretary Brigadier (retd) Muhammad Ahmad, private appraiser Sohaib Abbasi, and Imran Khan’s former principal secretary Inamullah. The FIA prosecution team was led by Federal Prosecutor Zulfiqar Abbas Naqvi, assisted by Barristers Umair Majeed Malik, Bilal Butt, and Shahvez Gilani, while the defence was represented by Arshad Tabrez, Qausain Faisal Mufti, and Barrister Salman Safdar.
