ISLAMABAD: Police arrested former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan in the eastern city of Lahore on Saturday, his lawyer said, after a court sentenced him to three years in prison for illegally selling state gifts.
Legal experts say a conviction in the case could end Khan’s chances of participating in national elections that have to be held before early November.
Khan’s political party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) said in a statement that it had already filed an appeal in the country’s Supreme Court against the district court case.
“It’s important to mention there was no chance given to present witnesses, neither was time allotted to round up arguments,” a member of his legal team said.
Local media and a Reuters witness described police surrounding Khan’s residence in Lahore after the ruling was released.
“Judge Humayun Dilawar announced that involvement in corrupt practices has been proven,” Pakistan TV said.
“His dishonesty has been established beyond doubt,” the judge wrote in a ruling seen by AFP.
Khan was not present for the hearing at the Islamabad High Court, and the judge ordered his arrest.
The sentence relates to an inquiry conducted by the election commission, which found Khan guilty of unlawfully selling state gifts during his tenure as prime minister from 2018 to 2022.
Khan has denied any wrongdoing.
The 70-year-old cricketer-turned-politician was accused of misusing his premiership to buy and sell gifts in state possession that were received during visits abroad and worth more than 140 million Pakistani rupees ($635,000).
Khan is facing over 150 cases brought against him since being ousted in April last year — charges he says are politically motivated.
In May, Khan was arrested and briefly detained in Islamabad in connection with the corruption case in which he has now been convicted, sparking deadly unrest during which PTI supporters poured onto the streets and clashed with police.
In the aftermath of his release following three days in custody, PTI has been targeted by a crackdown with thousands of arrests, reports of intimidation and muzzling of the press.
After he was taken away by police on Saturday, a video made before the event was posted to Khan’s X (Twitter) account.
“My arrest was expected & I recorded this message before my arrest. … I want my party workers to remain peaceful, steadfast and strong,” he said in the caption accompanying the video.
In an interview with Bloomberg in June, Khan cited the push by the government and the military to arrest his supporters as evidence that the establishment is looking to “crush” the party before the elections.
Authorities have said that they wanted to hold accountable anyone who attacked military buildings following Khan’s brief time in detention in May.
Pakistan’s military is the country’s most powerful institution, holding an outsized role in foreign and security policies while ruling directly for much of the country’s modern history.
Most prime ministers have depended on the institution’s support to stay in power, including Khan, but his ties worsened after he attempted to influence army appointments.
