Former Chief Minister of Gilgit-Baltistan, Khalid Khurshid, was sentenced to 34 years in prison by a Gilgit Anti-Terrorism Court on Tuesday.
The court also imposed a fine of Rs0.6 million after finding him guilty of making threats that could lead to severe consequences.
Judge Rehmat Shah presided over the proceedings, which concluded with the sentencing of Khurshid, who had been absent from the case hearings and was not present during the verdict.
The court directed the Inspector General (IG) of Police to arrest Khurshid and transfer him to jail. Additionally, the Director General (DG) of Nadra was instructed to block the accused’s identity card.
The charges against Khurshid originated from an incident on May 26, 2024, where he allegedly issued threats against security agencies and top government officials.
While addressing a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protest rally, Khurshid was accused of making serious threats to the Chief Secretary and Chief Election Commissioner of Gilgit-Baltistan, endangering the region’s stability and peace.
This conviction follows another legal controversy involving Khurshid. On August 28, 2024, a Gilgit court issued an arrest warrant against him for failing to appear in a case related to a fake degree.
The controversy surrounding Khurshid intensified in July 2023 when the Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Court disqualified him over the fake degree issue, drawing further public and legal scrutiny.
Khurshid’s arrest and conviction represent a significant moment in Gilgit-Baltistan’s political landscape, highlighting growing concerns about the accountability of public figures and their potential to incite unrest.
