The conviction of PTI founder Imran and his wife Bushra Bibi in the second Toshakhana case, relating to the Bulgari necklace and watch sold by him and his wife after receiving it as a gift coincided with the conviction by an anti-terrorist court of several PTI leaders, including former Punjab Minister Dr Yasmeen Rashid, former Governor Umar Cheema and ex-Senator Ejaz Chaudhry of offences involving violent incidents on 9 May 2023. Mr and Mrs Khan were sentenced to 17 years each, on two separate charges, one of criminal breach of trust, and another of corruption. Mr Khan earlier had been convicted in another case involving Toshakhana gifts, which he is said to have sold instead of submitting to the Toshakhana. In this case, he is accused of having gifts undervalued, and then first buying them back and then selling them for a profit. That hsd led to a 14-year sentence. He has already been convicted in the cases mentioned at the time of his dismissal, such as the diplomatic cipher case, for which he got 10 years, the Al-Qadir University Trust case for which he got 14 years. However, he has not as yet been convicted in any case involving the May 9 protests, of which he is supposed to have been the mastermind. It does seem that his fear of being tried by a military court is receding, but that is more because civilian anti-terrorism courts are proving satisfied by the prosecution cases.
His supporters hotly deny the charges against him, saying that they are all the result of a conspiracy against him. The Tehrik Tahaffuz Ain Pakistan, which held a conference on the same day as his conviction, decried how the Constitution was being violated. Mr Khan is said to have decided on a street movement for his freedom, and it is not known how he has reacted to the TTAP leaders of non-PTI parties for a political dialogue. So far, Mr Khan has insisted that the political parties cannot give anything.
However, at this point, after everything has been thrown against him but the May 9 charges, he may have no option. He has also got to come to grips with the reality that his struggle has changed from one of returning to office, to one of remaining relevant. Such straws in the wind as the PTI’s inability to turn out crowds any longer, and the recent by-election results, do not bode well for the future.
