A Pakistan court on Friday sentenced former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife to 14 and seven years in prison, respectively, after finding them guilty of corruption, according to officials and his lawyer.
This marks another setback for the former leader, who has been imprisoned since 2023, reports AP.
The charges stem from allegations that the couple accepted a land gift from real estate tycoon Malik Riaz in return for laundered money during Khan's tenure as prime minister.
US, UK criticise Pakistan military court convictions of Imran Khan supporters
Prosecutors claim Khan allowed Riaz to pay fines imposed on him in a separate case using £190 million ($240 million) of laundered funds returned to Pakistan by British authorities in 2022. The money, intended for the national exchequer, was allegedly misappropriated.
Khan has denied any wrongdoing and maintains that the charges are part of a conspiracy by political opponents to prevent his return to power.
Following the court's decision, Khan's wife, who had been released on bail in October after serving time in another corruption case, was taken into custody. Recently, she had led a rally calling for her husband's release.
Pakistan court indicts ex-PM Imran Khan, wife
Defence lawyer Faisal Chaudhry stated that the verdict would be challenged in higher courts. Meanwhile, members of Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party protested outside the parliament in Islamabad, claiming the ruling was unjust. Senior PTI leader Omar Ayub Khan, unrelated to the former prime minister, dismissed the case as fabricated and pledged to seek justice through an appeals court.
Imran Khan, ousted in a parliamentary no-confidence vote in April 2022, has faced multiple convictions. These include charges of corruption, revealing official secrets, and violating marriage laws, resulting in sentences of 10, 14, and seven years, respectively. Under Pakistani law, these sentences are to be served concurrently, meaning the longest term applies.
Supporters of Khan gathered outside Rawalpindi’s Adiala prison, chanting slogans against the government and demanding his release.
New cases have been filed against Imran Khan and his wife
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar claimed on Thursday that there was "irrefutable evidence" against Khan and his wife in the corruption case. Tarar accused Khan of withholding details about the returned funds from his cabinet and using the money to build a lavish home in Lahore without disclosing its source.
The verdict coincides with heightened tensions between Khan’s PTI party and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government. A day earlier, PTI held talks with government representatives, calling for the release of political detainees, including Khan and other party leaders. Sharif assumed office after the February 2024 election, which PTI alleges was rigged.