PTI asks how 'tout journalists' knew of Imran and Bushra’s sentences in advance

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) condemned the verdict in the £190 million case, which sentenced former Prime Minister Imran Khan to 14 years in prison and his wife, Bushra Bibi, to 7 years.

In a statement on X, PTI questioned the authenticity of the verdict, asking, “Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi were sentenced to the same punishment that 'tout journalists' and their sources had been mentioning. How did these journalists receive a copy of this unjust verdict before it was officially announced by the judge?”

Earlier, journalist Meher Bokhari, in a post on X, claimed through “confident sources” that Imran Khan would be sentenced to 14 years of imprisonment, while Bushra Bibi would receive a 7-year sentence in the Al-Qadir Trust case.

Several journalist also shared similar predictions on X. 

In response, PTI’s official X account condemned the journalist's post, accusing her of reflecting the flaws in Pakistan’s judicial system. PTI alleged that "establishment mouthpieces" were announcing verdicts before the judges themselves.

“This undeclared martial law in Pakistan is what Imran Khan is fighting against, striving for a truly independent Pakistan where the rule of law prevails, and the judiciary is free from interference by the powerful elite and intelligence agencies,” the party stated.

Meher Bokhari, however, responded to PTI’s criticism, asserting that the party expects journalists to act as its spokespersons and promote its narrative.

She added that as soon as journalists share views opposing PTI’s stance, they are labeled as “establishment mouthpieces.”

The journalist further accused PTI of double standards, pointing out that when journalists speculated on the Panama Papers case against former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, PTI welcomed such reports.