A Pakistani court has delivered a landmark ruling, sentencing former Prime Minister Imran Khan to 14 years in prison and his wife, Bushra Bibi, to seven years for corruption. This verdict, announced on Friday, marks a major setback for Khan, who has been in custody since 2023.
The case revolves around allegations that Khan and his wife accepted land as a gift from real estate tycoon Malik Riaz in exchange for laundered funds. The transactions allegedly occurred during Khan’s tenure as prime minister from 2018 to 2022. Both Khan and Bushra Bibi denied the charges, pleading not guilty. Following the judgment, Khan reportedly declared that he would neither seek relief nor enter any agreements with authorities.
Prosecutors allege that Khan facilitated the use of ÂŁ190 million ($240 million) in laundered money returned to Pakistan by British authorities in 2022. The funds, they claim, were used to pay fines imposed on Malik Riaz in a separate case. Khan has consistently dismissed these allegations as a politically motivated conspiracy aimed at thwarting his political comeback.
The ruling has sparked outrage among members of Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. Shortly after the verdict, PTI lawmakers staged protests outside the parliament in Islamabad, denouncing the decision. Omar Ayub Khan, a senior PTI leader, described the case as “bogus” and vowed to appeal the decision in higher courts.
Imran Khan’s legal team also expressed confidence in challenging the ruling. Faisal Chaudhry, a defense lawyer, stated that the verdict is subject to appeal in superior courts.
Khan’s political fortunes began to unravel in April 2022, when he was ousted through a no-confidence vote in parliament. Since then, he has faced a series of legal challenges, including convictions for corruption, revealing official secrets, and violating marriage laws. However, under Pakistani law, Khan can serve his sentences concurrently, meaning he will only serve the duration of the longest sentence.
The Information Minister, Attaullah Tarar, told reporters on Thursday that there is “irrefutable evidence” linking Khan and his wife to the corruption case. Tarar alleged that Khan did not inform his Cabinet about the repatriated funds from Britain and accused him of using the money to build a luxurious residence in Lahore without providing proof of the funds’ origin.
The case has intensified the political drama surrounding Khan, a former cricket star whose transition to politics has been marked by both triumph and controversy. As the appeals process looms, the nation watches closely, awaiting further developments.
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