Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife convicted in fourth case

Author:
Liza Brovko
Date:

Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has been sentenced to 14 years in prison, and his wife Bushra Bibi to seven years in a case of abuse of power and corruption.

This is reported by the Qatari TV channel Al Jazeera.

Imran Khan was also fined one million Pakistani rupees ($3 500) and Bushra Bibi was fined half that amount. This is the fourth major case in which the former prime minister has been sentenced.

The case concerns Khan and Bibi buying land worth billions of rupees from Pakistani businessman Malik Riaz to set up a non-profit educational institution for the poor, Al-Qadir Trust.

The National Accountability Bureau alleged that Khan, then prime minister, entered into a quid pro quo (service for service) deal with Riaz that allowed the laundering of more than $239 million, which allegedly caused significant losses to the state treasury.

Three previous convictions, announced in January 2024, were related to the sale of state gifts, disclosure of state secrets, and illegal marriage, all of which were overturned or suspended.

Despite this, Khan remains behind bars in Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi. Dozens of cases have been filed against him, which Imran Khan describes as a "witch hunt".

  • Khan, who served as Pakistanʼs prime minister from 2018 to 2022, was first accused of corruption in October 2022. He has now faced more than 170 legal cases. However, Imran Khan remains popular in Pakistan.

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