Pakistan ex-PM Khan is jailed for three years
Imran Khan, the former prime minister of Pakistan, has been arrested after he was given a three-year jail sentence over corruption allegations.
Police descended on his home in the Eastern city of Lahore yesterday after the verdict was released.
Khan was found guilty of not declaring money earned from selling gifts he received in office between 2018 and 2022.
The 70-year-old former cricketer was accused of misusing his position to buy and sell gifts received during visits abroad worth more than 140 million Pakistani rupees (approximately £500,000).
Khan, who has been transferred to the capital Islamabad to begin his sentence, denies the charges and says he will appeal.
His lawyer, Intezar Panjotha, said: “Police have arrested Imran Khan from his residence. We are filing a petition against the decision in the high court.”
It is a fresh blow to the bid by Khan, leader of the opposition, to return to power.
Since his ousting from power in a no-confidence vote in parliament last April, he has been hit with more than 150 legal cases, including allegations of corruption, terrorism and inciting people to violence over deadly protests in May that saw his followers attack government and military property across the country.
The action was sparked by the popular politician’s arrest in early May on corruption charges.
He was then released, with the arrest declared illegal.
Since then, his party, Tehreek-eInsaf, has been under intense and mounting pressure from the authorities.
When previously asked whether he had created an atmosphere of hostility to the military resulting in violence, Khan said he and his party had never advocated the use of violence and had a record of peaceful protest.