Imran Khan, a former Pakistani prime minister, was found guilty of corruption and sentenced to three years in prison.
He was found guilty of not disclosing the income he received from the sale of state goods by an Islamabad court. He claims he will appeal and disputes the accusations.
After the decision, Mr. Khan was arrested and brought from his Lahore house.
He appealed to his followers in a pre-recorded message on X, formerly known as Twitter, saying: “I have only one appeal, don’t sit at home silently.”
The 70-year-old former cricketer-turned-politician was chosen in 2018, but was later removed in a vote of no confidence the following year due to disagreements with Pakistan’s potent military.
Since his dismissal, Mr. Khan has had more than 100 complaints initiated against him, all of which he claims are politically motivated.
The claims that he misdeclared information about gifts from foreign dignitaries and the revenues of their purported sale were the focus of Saturday’s verdict.
Rolex watches, a ring, and a set of cuff links were among the gifts, which were said to be valued at more than 140 million Pakistani rupees ($635,000).
The verdict was referred to as “a murder of justice” by Mr. Khan’s attorney, Gohar Khan.
“Not even a chance was provided to us. We weren’t even permitted to cross-examine, make a defence, or present our arguments. I’ve never experienced this level of injustice, he told the Dawn newspaper.
A group outside the building, which included some prosecutors’ solicitors, started yelling “Imran Khan is a thief” as the court ruling was revealed.
After being detained in Lahore, Mr. Khan was transported to the capital, Islamabad, to begin serving his term, according to his party, Tehreek-e-Insaf, which confirmed this to the BBC.
He had evaded capture for months, with his supporters at times engaging in fierce conflict with the police to keep him from being taken into custody.
Mr. Khan was detained in May for failing to show up for court as asked. After that, the arrest was deemed illegal, and he was released.
The government has been exerting significant pressure on his party ever since.
Numerous senior officials have quit, and hundreds of followers who were allegedly participating in the demonstrations that took place after Mr. Khan’s detention have been detained.
The Pakistani army is heavily involved in politics, sometimes taking control through military coups and other times working behind the scenes.
Many analysts think the military played a role in Mr. Khan’s victory in the 2018 election.
He has been one of the army’s most outspoken detractors in opposition, and according to observers, support for the army has decreased.
Mr. Khan has been pushing for early elections ever since he was dismissed.
Mr. Khan would be permanently barred from holding public office if convicted.
On August 9, Pakistan’s parliament will be dissolved, and a caretaker administration would lead the country until the elections.
Although they should happen by early November according to the constitution, no election date has been set.
