PESHAWAR, Aug 05 (DNA): Following the arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf
(PTI) chairman Imran Khan, the authorities have taken preemptive
measures to maintain law and order in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The government has imposed Section 144 in the province, which prohibits
the assembly of more than four people in a public place. This decision
comes as a response to the potential for civil unrest and protests that
may arise following Imran Khan’s detention.

Earlier today, Imran Khan, a prominent political figure and leader of
the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, was arrested from his Zaman
Park residence, moments after the Islamabad sessions court sentenced him
to three-year imprisonment and disqualified him for five years in the
Toshakhana criminal case.

Earlier today, an Islamabad district and sessions court declared that
the crime against PTI Chairman Imran Khan in the Toshakhana criminal
case has been proved, and sentenced him to three-year imprisonment.
Imran Khan has also been disqualified for five years.

Announcing its verdict reserved a short while ago, the court also
rejected the former premier’s appeal against declaring the case
maintainable.

The verdict stated that the suspect filed false details with the
election commission, and has been found guilty of corrupt practices.
Imran Khan’s arrest warrants were also issued by the court. He has also
been fined Rs100,000. If the fine is not submitted, the jail term will
exceed for another six months.

The arrest was the latest in a string of setbacks for Khan’s political
career, which began when he clashed with Pakistan’s strong military and
his party fractured. His conviction came a day after the district court
hearing was briefly suspended by Supreme Court. It was unclear why the
trial had continued despite the high court’s judgment.

PTI Chairman Imran Khan had moved the Supreme Court against the
Islamabad High Court’s Friday verdict in the Toshakhana criminal case.
An application was filed in the Supreme Court on Saturday on behalf of
the former premier by his legal team.

However, the apex court has raised objections over Imran Khan’s appeal
filed against the Toshakhana criminal case. The Registrar’s Office of
the Supreme Court raised the objection and returned the appeal. The
office objected that the power of attorney and the signatures on the
petition were not valid.

It also raised objection to the non-payment of official court fee of
Rs250 along with the appeal. Certain pages of the appeal are also
illegible, the objection stated. The Registrar’s Office has given two
weeks to remove the objections.