Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan Sentenced To Jail In Corruption Case

Imran Khan, the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, and his wife, Bushra Bibi, faced new corruption charges on Friday. Khan has been sentenced to 14 years in prison, while his wife received a seven-year sentence by a Pakistani court.

Judge Nasir Javed Rana delivered the verdict in a temporary courtroom at Adiala Jail after the hearing had been postponed three times. The court imposed a fine of 1 million Pakistani rupees on Khan and half that amount on Bushra. If they fail to pay the fines, they could face an additional six months in jail.

This latest conviction marks the fourth major legal battle for the former prime minister. The charges allege that Khan and his wife acquired land valued at billions of rupees (millions of US dollars) from Malik Riaz, a prominent real estate mogul in Pakistan, in order to establish a nonprofit educational institution for the underprivileged.

Looking back at his previous convictions announced in January of last year, these cases involved accusations of selling state gifts, leaking sensitive information, and an unlawful marriage, all of which had been overturned or suspended. Nonetheless, Khan remains incarcerated, with numerous cases still pending against him—he claims this is all part of a political witch-hunt aimed at undermining him.