Gilgit (TDI): Former Chief Minister Khalid Khurshid was sentenced to 34 years in prison by a Gilgit Anti-Terrorism Court on Tuesday.
In addition to the prison term, the court imposed a fine of Rs.0.6 million after Khurshid was found guilty of making threats that could lead to severe consequences.
Judge Rehmat Shah presided over the proceedings, which concluded with the sentencing of the former chief minister, who had been absconding from the hearings and was not present during the verdict.
The court directed the Inspector General of Police to arrest Khalid Khurshid and transfer him to prison.
Furthermore, the Director General of NADRA was instructed to block the accused’s identity card.
The charges against Khurshid stemmed from an incident on May 26, 2024, when he allegedly issued threats against security agencies and top government officials during a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protest rally.
Specifically, Khurshid was accused of making serious threats to the Chief Secretary and the Chief Election Commissioner of Gilgit-Baltistan, actions deemed harmful to the region’s stability and peace.
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This conviction follows a series of legal controversies involving the former chief minister.
On August 28, 2024, a Gilgit court issued an arrest warrant for Khurshid after he failed to appear in a case related to a fake degree.
Earlier, in July 2023, the Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Court disqualified Khurshid due to the same fake degree issue, intensifying public and legal scrutiny.
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Khurshid’s arrest and conviction mark a pivotal moment in Gilgit-Baltistan’s political history, highlighting increased accountability for public officials and the consequences of actions perceived as inciting unrest.
