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A significant development unfolded in the case of former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan as a High Court suspended the 14-year sentence imposed on him and his wife, Bushra Bibi, in the Toshakhana corruption case.

Court's decision

Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi were both given 14-year jail terms by an accountability court on January 31 for alleged corruption related to state gifts they received from the state depository just before the general elections.Challenging their conviction, they appealed to the Islamabad High Court (IHC), where a two-member bench led by IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq heard the case. The IHC, on Monday, temporarily suspended their sentences and granted them bail. However, their appeals against the conviction will be heard after the Eid festival next month.

Despite this relief, Imran Khan might not be released immediately due to convictions in other cases. Similarly, Bushra Bibi, also facing conviction in another case, may not be released despite the suspension of her sentence.

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Toshakhana Corruption Case

In this case, the 71-year-old former cricketer-turned-politician is accused of retaining expensive state gifts received during his tenure as Pakistan's premier. The Toshakhana, or treasure house, allows government officials to keep gifts by paying for them, but they must first be deposited. Khan and his wife allegedly failed to deposit the gifts or obtained them at a low price using their authority.

This is not the first conviction for Khan in the Toshakhana case. Previously, in August 2023, he was convicted leading to his arrest. The recent conviction, based on misusing authority to retain gifts, was filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). Khan has faced four different convictions since losing power in April 2022, receiving bail in both Toshakhana cases.This legal saga continues to unfold for Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi amidst allegations of corruption during their time in power.

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