Rawalpindi: Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, have been sentenced to prison after being found guilty in a corruption case involving 190 million British pounds ($240 million). A Pakistani court sentenced Khan, the former cricket star, to 14 years in prison, while his wife received a seven-year sentence.
The verdict was announced by Accountability Court Judge Nasir Javed Rana inside Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, where Khan has been held for the past year. In addition to the prison sentences, the court imposed fines of Rs 1 million on Khan and Rs 500,000 on Bushra. If Khan fails to pay the fine, he will face an additional six months in prison. Bushra Bibi will serve three more months in prison if the fine is not paid.
The case alleges that Imran and Bushra acquired billions of rupees and land from Bahria Town Ltd in exchange for legalizing Rs 50 billion, which was previously identified and returned to Pakistan by the United Kingdom during Khan’s tenure.
The court session was held under tight security, and Bushra Bibi was arrested in the courtroom immediately following the verdict. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, led by Khan, has termed the conviction politically motivated and vowed to challenge the ruling in court.
Imran Khan, who was ousted as Prime Minister in 2022 after a no-confidence vote, continues to maintain his innocence, while PTI members have raised questions about the involvement of others in the alleged corruption. PTI leader Meher Bano Qureshi, commenting on the case, asked why Malik Riaz, a real estate mogul, had allegedly overpaid and called for further investigation into the matter.
