BREAKING: Imran Khan jailed for 3 years and banned from politics for 5 years

Colombo (News 1st) - BREAKING: Ousted Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, 70, was on Saturday sentenced to three years in jail and banned from participating in politics for five years, for allegedly selling state gifts, Pakistani media reported. Mr. Khan said he will appeal the conviction.

Punjab police took Khan into custody on Saturday afternoon in Lahore, shortly after the conviction was announced by the court. The Additional District and Sessions Judge also imposed a fine of 100,000 Pakistani rupees. Khan was not present in court today.

Khan, who was ousted three years ago by Parliament, is the head of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party which is the frontrunner for elections that are scheduled for October 2023. Over 150 cases have been brought against him by the government since he was ousted.

The case is based on a criminal complaint filed by the Elections Commission of Pakistan that Khan deliberately concealed gifts from foreign dignitaries that should have been handed over to the Toshaskhana state repository for gifts, during the time he was premier. The case became known as 'the Toshaskhana case'. The gifts were allegedly worth 140 million Pakistani rupees (USD 635,000).