ISLAMABAD — A court in Pakistan has sentenced former Prime Minister Imran Khan to 14 years in prison, while his wife, Bushra Bibi, received a 7-year sentence following their conviction on corruption charges, according to legal representatives and officials involved in the case.
This ruling represents yet another setback for Khan, who has been incarcerated since earlier in 2023.
The allegations against the couple involve the acceptance of land gifts from prominent real estate developer Malik Riaz. They are accused of engaging in money laundering during Khan’s tenure as prime minister. Prosecutors allege that Khan permitted Riaz to settle fines related to a separate case involving 190 million British pounds (approximately $240 million) that was returned to Pakistan by British authorities in 2022, which should have been deposited into the national treasury.
Khan has consistently denied any wrongdoing and has maintained that the accusations are politically motivated efforts by adversaries to prevent his return to power. According to his defense team, both Khan and Bibi reacted with laughter and smiles when the verdict was delivered by Judge Nasir Javed.
Following the ruling, prison officials took the couple into custody. Bushra Bibi had previously served time in a different graft case and was released on bail in October. Recently, she had led a protest advocating for her husband’s release.
In a subsequent post from Khan’s social media account, he encouraged his supporters to remain calm in light of the ruling, which includes provisions for the government to take control of al-Qadir University, established by his wife’s charity, located in Punjab province. Khan emphasized his steadfast commitment to resist what he described as a dictatorship, declaring he would remain in prison as long as necessary, without compromising his principles in the fight for true freedom for the country.
Faisal Chaudhry, one of Khan’s defense attorneys, expressed intentions to challenge the court’s decision in higher courts.
As news of the sentencing spread, members of Khan’s political party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), gathered outside the parliament building in Islamabad, asserting that their leader had been unjustly prosecuted. Senior PTI leader Omar Ayub Khan, who is not related to Imran Khan, denounced the charges as fabricated and indicated plans to appeal the verdict.
Imran Khan, who was removed from office following a no-confidence vote in April 2022, has faced multiple convictions on various accusations, including corruption and violating official secrecy laws. He received sentences of 10, 14, and 7 years for these offenses, which, under Pakistani law, will run concurrently.
Several supporters of Khan gathered outside the Adiala prison in Rawalpindi, expressing their dissent against the current government and calling for the release of their leader.
The day prior, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar asserted that the evidence against Khan and his wife regarding the so-called “mega corruption scandal” was undeniable. He alleged that Khan failed to inform his Cabinet about the funds returned to Pakistan and claimed that Khan constructed a new residence in Lahore by providing Riaz with certain advantages without any proof of the source of the funds used for that purpose.
These recent developments follow significant discussions held between Khan’s PTI party and representatives of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government aimed at advocating for the release of political prisoners, including Khan and other leaders associated with PTI. Sharif has been in office since winning the February 2024 election, which PTI has alleged was tainted by electoral fraud.
