Explained | Pakistan's ousted PM Imran Khan's Toshakhana woes land him in jail for 3 years

Pakistan's ousted Prime Minister Imran Khan was arrested on Saturday for the second time in less than three months. Khan was arrested after a court sentenced him to three years in prison for illegally selling state gifts -- dubbed Toshakhana case -- and banned him from politics for the next five years.

Last time when Khan was arrested on May 9, the massive protests by his supporters had gripped the country. The unprecedented visuals showing rioting protesters demonstrating near country's military installations had stunned observers since military-intelligence syndicate is dubbed as 'the establishment' has reigned supreme since 1947 when the country first came into being after a bitter partition from India. 

Imran Khan's latest arrest: What does it mean?

Experts cited in the media say that the verdict by court, if not repealed by higher courts, could eliminate Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) alliance's leader and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's rival in the national election. While the election schedule has not been announced as yet, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has proposed that the National Assembly will be dissolved on August 9.

"Police have arrested Imran Khan from his residence," Khan's lawyer, Intezar Panjotha, was quoted as saying by Reuters. "We are filing a petition against the decision in high court."

Lahore Police Chief Bilal Siddique Kamiana said that Khan was being transferred to the capital, Islamabad. However, after various reports, Imran Khan was later on moved to the notorious Attock jail in Attock and not in Adiala Jail of Rawalpindi. 

Imran Khan arrest: Response from PTI

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) called for peaceful protests but there was limited public response at the time of filing this report.

The arrest remains the latest in a series of blows that have weakened Khan's political standing, after the events since May 9 (the last time when he was arrested) resulted in fragmentation of his party.

Khan's political party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), said it had filed another appeal to the Supreme Court earlier on Saturday.

Don't sit silently at home: Imran Khan

Imran Khan has denied any wrongdoings and in a pre-recorded video address released by his party he asked supporters to protest peacefully.

"By the time you hear this statement, they will have arrested me. I have only one appeal: don't sit silently at home. I am struggling for you and the country and your children's future," he said.

Khan's deputy in PTI and Pakistan's former foreign minister, Shah Mahmood Qureshi said their leader had been denied a fair trial.

"We have to struggle for his freedom - we have to fight legally and politically and move in a peaceful way in line with Imran Khan's directives," he said in a video address.

The party's top decision-making body met Saturday and called for nationwide peaceful protests, according to a statement.

Pakistan's information minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said Khan's arrest had followed a full investigation and proper legal proceedings in a trial court. 

"He has been found guilty of corrupt practices by hiding the benefits he accrued from national exchequer wilfully and intentionally," the verdict said.

"He cheated while providing information about gifts he obtained from Toshakhana (the state gift repository) which later proved to be false and inaccurate."

Imran Khan's re-arrest: Why August 5 did not turn out like May 9?

In the aftermath of May 9 protests, thousands of Khan's aides and supporters were arrested.

Many pro-Khan parliamentarians were also arrested. Later, they distanced themselves from Khan, with many either jumping the side or resigning from politics altogether.

Following the crackdown in the wake of May 9 events, this time around, not many leaders turned out to lead supporters to demonstrate against their party's top leader's arrest.

Toshakhana case

Khan was convicted by the court in a case that was first investigated by the election commission, which found him guilty of unlawfully selling state gifts while serving as Pakistan's prime minister.

He was accused of misusing his office to buy and sell gifts in state possession that were received during visits abroad and worth more than 140 million Pakistani rupees ($635,000).

Also read | Where is Pakistan headed after Imran Khan's arrest, violent protests: Towards coup or civil war?

Khan has been charged in a series of cases since being ousted from Prime Minister's Office after a parliamentary no-confidence vote in April 2022.

Once criticised for being under the thumb of powerful generals, Khan's ouster that year came amid worsening relations between him and then army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

Also read | Imran Khan arrest: How ISI 'angels' rule Pakistan

Khan has said the army, under General Asim Munir, is still targeting him and his party in a bid to keep him out of the elections and prevent him from returning to power. The army denies this.

Also watch | Pakistan: Imran Khan found guilty in Toshakhana case 

The bottom line is that Khan has gone to an extent which other political personalities of Pakistan have not.

Experts also suggest that he remains popular among electorate and his followers.

"His options seem to have narrowed. But they are bolstered by the fact that he has public support," TCA Raghavan, India's former ambassador to Pakistan, told WION in May.

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