"Take me out of here...": Imran Khan on staying in jail

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's former Prime Minsiter Imran Khan, who was arrested last week in the Toshakahana case, has expressed his sadness about staying in jail and said that he doesn't stay there, Geo News reported on Wednesday. While talking with his lawyers in the Attock jail, Imran Khan said, "Take me out of here; I don't want to remain in jail," according to the officials.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman also stated that he remains holed up inside his prison cell in "distressing" conditions, as per the sources. Khan's counsel Naeem Haider Panjotha was granted access by the jail authorities Monday to meet him, who after seeing the PTI chairman said that the former premier was being kept in "distressing" conditions provided “C-Class jail facilities”. Panjotha added that the PTI chief was in high morale despite all such difficulties and vowed to spend his lifetime in jail but wouldn't bow to slavery, reported Geo News.

However, the sources said that the PTI chairman, during the meeting with his lawyer, conveyed his concerns regarding the environment at the prison with flies taking over his cell during the day and insects at night. On Saturday, Pakistan district and sessions court sentenced former Prime Minister Imran Khan to three years in prison in the Toshakhana case i.e. for illegally selling state gifts and he has been disqualified from politics for a period of five years, local media reported. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 100,000 on the PTI chief, Geo News reported. Khan was arrested from his Zaman Park residence in Lahore soon after being convicted in the Toshakhana case, Geo News reported.

Khan was arrested from his Zaman Park residence in Lahore soon after being convicted in the Toshakhana case, Geo News reported. Dawn reported that during the hearing, presided by Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADSJ) Humayun Dilawar, the trial court ruled that charges against the former prime minister in the case were proven. “Imran Khan deliberately submitted fake details [of Toshakhana gifts] to the ECP and is found guilty of corrupt practices,” he stated and sent the PTI chief to jail for three years under Section 174 of the Election Act.

The development comes after the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday set aside the session court’s verdict on the Toshakhana reference against PTI Chairman as maintainable and ordered the lower court to rehear the case.