A court in Pakistan has granted bail to former Prime Minister Imran Khan in a case involving the illegal sale of state gifts, according to his party. Khan, 71, has been in prison since August last year, but it remains unclear if he will be released as he faces multiple other cases, including allegations of inciting violence against the state.
One of Khan's party lawyers, Salman Safdar, stated that if the official order is received, Khan's family and supporters will seek his release. Safdar added that, to his knowledge, Khan has been granted bail or acquitted in all the cases he faces. The case in which Khan was granted bail by the Islamabad High Court is known as the Toshakhana case, involving multiple charges related to the alleged illegal procurement and sale of state gifts worth over 140 million rupees ($501,000) during his 2018-2022 premiership.
Previously, Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, were both sentenced to 14 years in prison on the same charges. Their sentences were later suspended in appeals at the high court. Both deny any wrongdoing and claim the cases are politically motivated to keep Khan in jail. The gifts in question included diamond jewelry and seven watches, six of which were Rolexes, with the most expensive valued at 85 million rupees ($305,000).
Khan's wife was released last month after spending months in the same prison as Khan.
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