Former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan arrested

Khan's political party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), said in a statement it had already filed an appeal in the country's Supreme Court over the district court case.

Local media and a Reuters witness described police surrounding Khan's residence in Lahore on Saturday after the verdict was released.

The sentence relates to an inquiry conducted by the election commission, which found Khan guilty of unlawfully selling state gifts during his tenure as prime minister from 2018 to 2022.

Khan has denied any wrongdoing.

The 70-year-old cricketer-turned-politician was accused of misusing his premiership to buy and sell gifts in state possession that were received during visits abroad and worth more than 140 million Pakistani rupees ($A964,313).