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In Focus
Imran Khan and wife sentenced to 17 years in prison
The couple was convicted in the Toshakhana-2 case by a special court
On 20 December, as reported by Dawn and The Express Tribune, former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, were sentenced to 17 years in prison in the Toshakhana-2 case by a special court. The case refers to the purchase of an expensive Bulgari jewellery set, gifted to Khan by the Saudi crown prince during an official visit in May 2021 at a bargain. The prosecution found that Khan had paid only PKR 2.9 million for the jewellery set, as opposed to its actual value of PKR 80 million. Khan and Bushra Bibi were sentenced to a total of 17 years in prison, 10 of which come under Sections 34 and 409 of the Pakistan Penal Code, which cover common intention and criminal breach of trust, respectively, and seven years under Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, which pertains to criminal misconduct by public servants. Both of them were also fined PKR 16.4 million.
The court order said, “This court, while passing sentences has considered the old age of Imran Ahmed Khan Niazi, as well as the fact that Bushra Imran Khan is a female. It is in consideration of both said factors that a lenient view has been taken in awarding lesser punishment.” Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said that Khan’s jail term would begin after his sentence in the GBP 190 million corruption case ends. He also mentioned that the punishment was a “consecutive sentence” and asserted that the former PM and his wife had “committed fraud”, resulting in a “breach of public trust.” Minister of State for Law and Justice Barrister Aqeel Malik also remarked that the judgment was “in line with the Constitution and the law.” Meanwhile, the PTI took to X to protest against the verdict. Khan’s sister, Aleema Khan, also criticised the verdict while speaking to the media. “A closed-door jail trial is neither free nor fair; it is in fact a military trial.” PTI leader Salman Akram Raja stated that the case lacked credible evidence. “They have no witnesses except the person whom the PTI founder himself brought forward,” he said.
Khan and Bushra Bibi were indicted in the case in December 2024. In October this year, the two of them denied all allegations in the case, terming them as fabricated and politically motivated in an attempt to disqualify Khan from politics. The former PM has been in prison since August 2023, when he was given a 14-year sentence at the Adiala Jail in a GBP 190 million corruption case. He also faces pending trials under the Anti-Terrorism Act related to the 9 May 2023 protests. (Malik Asad, “Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi sentenced to 17 years in Toshakhana 2 case,” Dawn, 20 December 2025; Imran Asghar, “Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi sentenced to 17 years in Toshakhana 2.0,” The Express Tribune, 20 December 2025)
In Brief
POLITICS & GOVERNANCE
Four PTI leaders sentenced to 10 years imprisonment
On 20 December, as reported by Dawn, an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) sentenced PTI leaders Dr Yasmin Rashid, Ejaz Chaudry, Omar Sarfraz Cheema and Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed to 10 years in prison in a case related to the 9 May riots. The verdict comes a day after a Lahore ATC acquitted PTI leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi. The counsel for the PTI leaders, Rana Mudassar, said the cases were related to the burning of police vehicles in Lahore’s Gulberg and the burning of a container near Kalma Chowk during the 9 May 2023 nationwide riots following the arrest of former PM Imran Khan. ATC-III Judge Arshad Javed presided over the proceedings in Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat jail. A total of 22 accused were sentenced to 10 years imprisonment, while five were acquitted in the Kalma Chowk case. In the Gulberg case, a challan was filed against 33 individuals, while four others were declared proclaimed offenders during the trial. (“Yasmin Rashid, Ejaz Chaudhry, other PTI leaders sentenced to 10 years by Lahore ATC in additional May 9 cases,” Dawn, 20 December 2025)
Constitution and law “torn to shreds”, says TTAP head
On 20 December, as reported by Dawn, Mahmood Khan Achakzai, head of the Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP) and chairman of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, bemoaned that the Constitution and the law “have been torn to shreds” in the country. He was speaking during the inaugural address at the two-day national conference titled “Protection of the Consensus Constitution: The Need of the Hour and a Way Forward through Collective Wisdom”, organised by TTAP, which is an alliance of opposition parties. The conference was announced following DG ISPR Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry’s criticism of Imran Khan for creating and spreading “anti-army” rhetoric. “The current situation in the country is such that the Constitution and the law have been torn to shreds, and raising one’s voice against it is the responsibility of every conscious citizen,” Achakzai said. He stressed that all political forces must rise above temporary party interests and think seriously about formulating a consensus course of action. Also speaking on the occasion, PTT Chairman Barrister Gohar claimed that “martial law has been imposed in the country.” On the first day of the conference, various political leaders participated, including the PTI chairman, Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, Asad Qaiser, BNP chief Akhtar Mengal, Allama Raja Nasir Abbas and Javed Hashmi. (“Constitution and law torn to shreds, says TTAP head Achakzai on first day of opposition conference,” Dawn, 20 December 2025)
SOCIETY
South Waziristan residents protest worsening law and order situation
On 20 December, as reported by Dawn, residents of Azam Warsak, a remote area of Birmal tehsil in Lower South Waziristan district, launched a long march to protest the “worsening” law and order situation in the region. They included tribal leaders, youth, PTM members and political and social activists, who marched on Wana, where they later staged a sit-in to press for their demands related to security and public safety. The demonstration disrupted traffic flow in the area, prompting the police to install barbed wire. The sit-in lasted three hours before the protesters’ representatives and the district administration held talks. Lower South Waziristan deputy commissioner Musarrat Zaman and district police officer Mohammad Tahir Shah Wazir met protesters. Dawn reported that the protesters had a list of 10 demands, and the administration assured them that issues falling in the domain of the district administration would be resolved within the next 10 days. Some of the demands include immediate and effective measures to restore peace in Birmal and Azam Warsak, the removal of all security barriers on Azam Warsak-Wana Road and Sholam Road, and an end to the practice of detaining innocent individuals on mere suspicion. (“South Waziristan residents protest ‘worsening’ law and order situation,” Dawn, 20 December 2025)
ECONOMY
IFC to provide technical support to CDA for water and sewage projects
On 20 December, Dawn reported that the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, will begin providing technical support to the Capital Development Authority (CDA) in three water and sewage projects. Under the agreement, the IFC will provide technical assistance to the Islamabad Water Agency for projects under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) and provide its transaction advisory services for three water and sewage-related projects in Islamabad. “An agreement in this regard was signed between the CDA and IFC at the CDA Headquarters, which was attended by Interior Secretary Mohammad Khurram Agha, CDA Chairman Mohammad Ali Randhawa, Member Planning and Design Dr Khalid Hafiz, Regional Director IFC and other senior officers from CDA’s Islamabad Water and IFC,” a press release said. Key components of these projects include improving the supply of clean water, installing water meters, reducing non-revenue water in Islamabad, making water pumps energy-efficient and repairing sewage lines, including sewage treatment plants. (“International Finance Corporation to provide technical support to CDA for three water, sewage projects,” Dawn, 20 December 2025)
EXTERNAL
UNGA adopts Pakistan-backed resolution
On 20 December, as reported by The Express Tribune, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted a Pakistan-sponsored resolution that reaffirmed the right to self-determination for peoples still subjected to colonial and foreign occupation. The resolution - titled “Universal realisation of the right of the peoples to self-determination” - was adopted during the UNGA’s 80th session. Pakistan’s Permanent Mission to the UN said in a post on X, "the consensual adoption of the resolution manifests broad international support for the inalienable right of the peoples facing colonialism, alien domination and foreign occupation." (“UNGA adopts Pak-backed resolution,” The Express Tribune, 20 December 2025)
ENVIRONMENT
Lahore’s air quality still among the worst
On 20 December, Dawn reported that the air quality index (AQI) in Lahore crossed critical limits, according to data shared by the air quality monitoring platform IQAir, making it one of the most polluted cities in the world. The overall index of the city peaked at 5pm with a reading of 504. Different areas of the city reported AQI readings beyond 400. The CERP Office topped the list with a reading of 682 at 10pm, followed by Iqbal Town at 605 and Barki Road at 558. Other locations, including Defence and Bedian road, also recorded AQI readings over 400. Askari 10, the Civil Secretariat and Abdullah Khokhar locality ranged between 250 and 309. Environmental department officials said the transport emissions, industrial activity, crop residue burning and weather patterns were contributing factors behind Lahore’s polluted air. (“Lahore’s air quality still among the worst,” Dawn, 20 December 2025)
Editorials/Opinions
Judiciary
Editorial, “Judge's removal,” The Express Tribune, 20 December 2025
“There should be no quarrel with the principle that a judge found to have entered the system on the basis of a fake or invalid degree must be shown the door. The judiciary, already struggling to retain public confidence, cannot afford even the whiff of academic fraud in its ranks. In that narrow sense, the removal of a judge over dubious credentials should be defended as a necessary, even cleansing, exercise. But principles do not operate in a vacuum. Timing and context matter. There is also a larger, more uncomfortable question. If one judge managed to slip through the system, is it reasonable to assume he is the lone aberration? The likelihood is otherwise. Then there is the legal minefield.”
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2583062/judges-removal-1
Police
Editorial, “Police incrimination,” The Express Tribune, 20 December 2025
“When a city is rife with corruption at every level, any attempt at progress is easily undermined by those who prioritise personal gain above development. Such an incident has come to light recently through an official inquiry, revealing that narcotics seized by the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) of Sindh Police have been resold back into the drug market by certain SIU officers, as was first thought to be the case. The large-scale drug bust netted about 468kg of hashish and 40kg of crystal meth, leading to the arrest of 14 suspects, including an assistant excise and taxation officer. The recent SIU report indicates that the drugs, valued at Rs280 million, are still in the laboratory.”
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2583063/police-incrimination
Economy
Parvez Rahim, “Employee conduct,” Dawn, 20 December 2025
“The Industrial and Commercial Employment (Standing Orders) Ordinance, 1968, is the most critical and frequently referred to labour enactment in Pakistan. It contains provisions relating to the classification of workmen, mandatory issuing of appointment letters, payment of profit bonus, retrenchment, termination of employment and a standing order relating to punishments. While one is not advising employers to refrain from taking action against employees guilty of serious misconduct, they should tighten financial controls and train managers in how to supervise employees with fairness. Companies managed professionally hardly encounter any cases of indiscipline.”
https://www.dawn.com/news/1962188/employee-conduct
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