Pakistan’s former prime minister Imran Khan has urged his supporters to prepare for nationwide protests and said he will appeal his conviction in the Islamabad High Court after he and his wife Bushra Bibi were sentenced to 17 years in prison in the Toshakhana-II corruption case on Saturday.Khan, who currently does not have access to his social media accounts, delivered his message through his legal team. According to a post quoted by Dawn on “I sent a message to [Khyber Pakhtunkhwa CM] Sohail Afridi prepares for street movement. “The entire nation must stand up for its rights,” Khan said.Reacting to the verdict, Khan said the decision was not a surprise and accused the court of acting hastily. “Like the baseless decisions and judgments of the last three years, the Toshakhana II decision is nothing new for me,” he said, adding that the verdict was delivered “without any evidence” and that his legal team was “not even heard”, as reported by ANI.He confirmed that his lawyers had already been instructed to appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court.In an official statement, PTI termed the verdict as “patently unconstitutional, unlawful” and an act of political victimization and claimed that the conviction was meant to prolong Khan’s imprisonment. Addressing a press conference, PTI general secretary Salman Akram quoted Raja Khan as saying, “I remain steadfast and resolute and will not demand an apology from anyone, come what may.”The case relates to allegations that a Bulgari jewelry set worth over PKR 71 million received from the Saudi Crown Prince was undervalued. According to ANI, Khan and Bushra Bibi were convicted under sections related to criminal breach of trust and corruption.The conviction sparked public debate across Pakistan. According to ANI, residents and journalists in Lahore and Peshawar questioned the verdict’s credibility. Some alleged political motives and a lack of evidence, saying the verdict further weakened public trust in the justice system and democratic institutions.
