Imran Khan, Wife Jailed 17 Years in Corruption Case

A Pakistani court has sentenced former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, to 17 years in prison each in a corruption case linked to the alleged misuse of state gifts, according to local broadcaster Geo News.

The ruling adds to a growing list of legal challenges facing Khan, who has been incarcerated since August 2023 and is confronting dozens of cases filed against him since his removal from office in 2022. The charges range from corruption allegations to accusations of leaking state secrets.

Khan has consistently denied wrongdoing in all cases, while his political party maintains that the prosecutions are politically motivated and aimed at sidelining him from public life.

Speaking to Reuters, Rana Mudassar Umar, a lawyer for Khan’s family, said the court issued its verdict without hearing the defence. He said both Khan and Bushra Bibi were sentenced to 17 years in prison and ordered to pay heavy fines.

According to the court’s ruling, the couple received 10 years of imprisonment with hard labour under Pakistan’s Penal Code for criminal breach of trust, in addition to seven years under anti-corruption laws. Each was also fined 16.4 million Pakistani rupees.

The case is separate from an earlier conviction related to state gifts that followed Khan’s arrest in August 2023. Khan had previously been found guilty of corruption for receiving state gifts during his tenure as prime minister from 2018 to 2022. While the execution of a 14-year sentence issued in that case was suspended in April, the conviction itself remains in place.

Since his ouster in April 2022 through a parliamentary vote of no confidence, Khan has faced more than 200 legal cases. He has repeatedly described the charges as part of a coordinated effort to prevent him from returning to power.

Khan, 71, and Bushra Bibi were also previously sentenced to seven years in prison for violating Islamic law by marrying shortly after her divorce.

Earlier this month, Pakistan’s top court acquitted Khan of a separate treason charge. However, he remains in custody as multiple other cases continue to proceed through the courts.