Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, who has been imprisoned since 2023, underwent a medical check-up at the Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad on Friday (August 21, 2026). Khan, also a former Pakistan cricket team captain, was later taken back to Adiala jail in compliance with the orders issued by the Supreme Court of Pakistan earlier this week.

The latest spate of charges was slapped against Khan in 2025 over a land corruption case, and he was sentenced to 14 years in prison. With Khan facing charges in over 100 cases, he has remained in jail since 2023 following his ouster as Prime Minister in 2022. Here is a timeline of Khan’s legal battles after he was ousted.

• April 10, 2022—- Ouster as Prime Minister- :Pakistan’s National Assembly removed Imran Khan through a no-confidence vote, making him the first Pakistani prime minister to be removed through such a motion. The joint opposition secured the support of 174 members in the 342-member National Assembly, more than the needed strength of 172 to oust the Prime Minister. Subsequently, Khan led a campaign against the government, alleging a collusion between the army and politicians against him.
• August 22, 2022—- Terrorism charges- :Khan booked under anti-terror law. However, the Islamabad High Court gives granted a protective bail order. The petition filed by Imran Khan contended that the government had decided to “cross all limits” to arrest Imran Khan “under false accusations” and was “hell-bent to sort out the him and his party at all costs”.
• October 21, 2022— Barred from contesting elections:Khan gets disqualified from contesting the elections for five years after the Election Commission found him guilty of hiding the the sale of gifts he received from foreign leaders. He later challenged the decision in Islamabad High Court. The poll body’s decision of restricting Khan from contesting elections, came ahead of his tenure’s end in 2023.
• May 9, 2023 —Toshakhana case:Khan arrested by the Paramilitary Rangers in the Toshakhana case, sparking violent protests by his supporters. The former PM was accused of misusing his tenure from 2018 to 2022 to buy and sell gifts in state possession that were received during visits abroad and were worth more than Rs. 140 million.
• May 13, 2023—Khan’s release order:The Islamabad High Court court passes order, granting a protective bail for two weeks in the corruption case and ordering immediate release of Khan. Later, owing to a protracted standoff with authorities, Khan gets released from the premises after a period of delay.
• August 5, 2023—Three years of jail sentence: Again, Khan is sentenced to three years in jail in the Toshakhana corruption case, leading to his arrest from his Lahore residence. An order by Additional and Sessions Judge Humayun Dilawar said Mr. Khan “cheated while providing information about gifts he obtained from Toshakhana which later proved to be false and inaccurate. His dishonesty has been established beyond doubt”.
• January 30, 2024—Cipher case:Khan and his cabinet colleague Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi were each sentenced to 10 years in the jail in the cipher case after the court found them guilty of revealing official secrets. They were acquitted on June 3, 2025.
• January 31, 2024—14 years jail:A day later, an anti-corruption court sentences Mr. Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi to 14 years of imprisonment in the Toshakhana case.
• February 3, 2024—Seven-year sentence in marriage case:A Pakistan court ruled former prime minister Khan’s marriage to his third wife illegal under Islamic law and sentenced the pair to seven years each in jail. The court found that the couple’s marriage in 2018 took place before Bushra Bibi had completed the required waiting period.
• April 1, 2024:Pakistani High Court suspended the 14-year sentence given to the former Prime Minister and his wife in the Toshakhana corruption case.
• July 13, 2024:Mr. Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi are acquitted in the 2018 unlawful marriage case.
• November 20, 2024:A Pakistan High Court grants bail to Imran Khan in a graft case but he continues to remain in jail due to a slew of other charges. A massive rally launched by PTI in Islamabad demands the release of Imran Khan, several PTI leaders, and a probe into the February 8 elections.
• January 2025:

From cricket to politics

Imran Khan’s identity as a former Pakistan cricket team captain, who led the team’s triumphant victory in 1992 World Cup, helped him in seeking a quick rise in politics. On 1996, he formed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which failed to win even a single seat in the 1997 general elections. He won the only seat for the party in the 2002 general elections. Eventually, Mr. Khan became the 19th prime minister of Pakistan (August 2018 until April 2022).

Published - August 21, 2026 03:12 pm IST