A Pakistani court has sentenced former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, to 14 and seven years in jail, respectively, after finding them guilty of corruption. The verdict is the latest blow for the former premier, who has been behind bars since 2023.
Khan and Bibi were accused of accepting a gift of land from a real estate tycoon, Malik Riaz, in exchange for laundered money when Khan was in power. Prosecutors alleged that Riaz was allowed to pay fines imposed on him in another case using the same laundered money, which was worth 190 million British pounds ($240 million) and was returned to Pakistan by British authorities in 2022.
Khan has denied any wrongdoing and claimed that the charges against him are a plot by his political rivals to keep him from returning to office. His legal team said he laughed and his wife smiled when the verdict was read out in court, and they were taken into custody by prison officials.
The verdict comes as Khan’s supporters protested outside the parliament building in Islamabad, chanting slogans and demanding his release. Khan’s party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, has also announced that it will challenge the verdict in the superior courts.
This is not the first time Khan has faced corruption charges. In 2022, he was removed from office in a no-confidence vote in parliament, and was subsequently convicted on multiple charges, including corruption, revealing official secrets, and violating marriage laws. He is currently serving a 10-year sentence, which he will serve concurrently with the latest sentence.
Khan’s party has claimed that the latest verdict is part of a broader effort to silence political opponents and consolidate power. The development has also heightened tensions between Khan’s supporters and the government, which has accused him of corruption and abuse of power.