Imran Khan calls for nationwide protests after graft conviction
Former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan has called on supporters to prepare for nationwide protests after he and his wife, Bushra Bibi, were sentenced to 17 years in prison in the Toshakhana-II corruption case, vowing to challenge the ruling in the Islamabad High Court.
Khan, who remains incarcerated and without direct access to his social media accounts, relayed his message through his legal team, according to Dawn. In remarks shared by his lawyers, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder said he had instructed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi to begin preparations for a mass street movement.
“The entire nation will have to rise for its rights,” Khan was quoted as saying, adding that the verdict did not come as a surprise given what he described as a pattern of politically motivated cases against him over the past three years.
He accused the trial court of delivering the decision in haste, alleging that it failed to meet legal requirements and did not properly hear his defence. Khan said his legal team had already been directed to file an appeal against the conviction, insisting that no credible evidence had been presented in the case.
Khan also urged the Insaf Lawyers Forum and the wider legal community to play a leading role in what he described as a struggle to uphold constitutional supremacy and the rule of law, arguing that economic recovery in Pakistan was impossible without justice and institutional credibility.
In a strongly worded statement, PTI rejected the verdict, calling it “unconstitutional, illegal and malicious,” and described it as an act of political revenge aimed at keeping Khan behind bars. Party leaders said the conviction was intended to reduce pressure on the current ruling establishment and silence political opposition.
Addressing a press conference with senior PTI figures, including Asad Qaiser, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja said Khan met his lead counsel, Barrister Salman Safdar, in court and sent a message to the public. Quoting Khan, Raja said the former premier remained resolute and would not seek any apology, regardless of consequences.
Khan has faced multiple legal cases since his removal from office in 2022, with supporters and rights groups repeatedly questioning the fairness of the proceedings, while the government maintains that the judiciary is acting independently and in accordance with the law.
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