Pakistan’s ex-PM Khan seeks suspension of prison sentence on medical, legal grounds

Former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan has petitioned the Islamabad High Court to suspend his prison sentence in a corruption case involving state gifts, citing legal flaws in his conviction and deteriorating health that he says require release pending appeal.

Khan, 73, has been serving his sentence at Central Jail Adiala in Rawalpindi since his conviction on Dec. 20, 2025, by a special court in Islamabad. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison and fined 16.4 million rupees for criminal breach of trust under sections 34 and 409 of the Pakistan Penal Code, along with seven years under section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947. An additional six-month term applies if the fine is not paid.

The case concerns allegations linked to a Bulgari gift set from the Toshakhana, part of a broader string of prosecutions against Khan and his wife following his removal from office. In his petition, Khan contends the conviction is politically motivated and that investigative agencies, including the National Accountability Bureau and Federal Investigation Agency, have targeted him in multiple cases, such as the Toshakhana Graft Set, Al-Qadir Trust, and events surrounding May 9, 2023.

Khan argues that he did not meet the definition of a public servant under section 21 of the Pakistan Penal Code and points to precedents from Pakistan’s Supreme Court and India’s top court. He also contends there was no dishonest misappropriation, noting that gifts were retained after paying 50% of their assessed value above the 30,000-rupee exemption, in accordance with the 2018 Toshakhana policy.

The petition further claims dual convictions for the same act violate section 26 of the General Clauses Act, 1897, and that the trial court erred by relying on uncorroborated testimony from an approver and a potentially biased witness.

The filing emphasizes Khan’s serious health concerns. A specialist at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences diagnosed severe damage to his right eye from a blood clot, leaving him with just 15% vision since October 2025.

The petition notes that Khan complied with bail conditions during trial and argues that his age and medical condition warrant suspension of the sentence under section 426 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898.

Khan’s lawyers argue that the appeal raises substantial legal questions that are unlikely to be addressed immediately, and that continued detention would result in injustice. The petition seeks his release until the final decision on appeal, filed as diary number 24560/2025.

His legal team includes advocates Salman Akram Raja, Salman Safdar, Gohar Ali Khan, Qausain Faisal Mufti and Shoaib Shaheen. The respondents are the state and the director general of the Federal Investigation Agency.

Imran Khan, a former international cricket star turned politician, led Pakistan as prime minister from 2018 until he was ousted in a 2022 parliamentary no-confidence vote. He has been held at Adiala Jail since August 2023 in connection with multiple criminal cases that he and his party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), describe as politically motivated.

Khan’s arrest in May 2023 triggered nationwide protests, including demonstrations at military installations, followed by a government crackdown on PTI supporters. Despite the unrest, PTI emerged as the single largest party in the 2024 general election.