Ex-GB CM Khalid Khurshid sentenced to 34 years in prison

Former chief minister 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 Khurshid was found guilty of making threats that could lead to serious consequences.

Judge Rehmat Shah presided over the proceedings, which concluded with the sentencing of the former CM Khurshid, who had been absconding from the case hearings, and was not present during the verdict.

The court directed the Inspector General (IG) of the Police to arrest Khurshid and transfer him to jail. Additionally, the Director General (DG) of Nadra was ordered to block the identity card of the accused.

The charges against Khurshid stemmed from an incident on May 26, 2024, when he allegedly threatened 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 the Chief Election Commissioner of Gilgit-Baltistan, which was deemed to jeopardize the stability and peace of the region.

This conviction comes on the heels of another legal controversy involving Khurshid. On August 28, 2024, a Gilgit court issued an arrest warrant for the former CM for his failure 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, further fueling public and legal scrutiny.

Khurshid's arrest and conviction mark a significant chapter in Gilgit-Baltistan's political landscape, reflecting growing concerns about the accountability of public figures and their potential to incite unrest.