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A Pakistani court on Saturday sentenced the former Prime Minister imran khan The court and Mr Khan’s lawyers said he and his wife, Bushra Bibi, would each be jailed for 17 years in a corruption case involving the under-priced purchase of luxury state gifts.
The latest sentence adds to a series of legal troubles for Mr Khan, who has been behind bars since August 2023, and is currently serving a 14-year sentence in a separate land corruption case.
Dozens of cases have been filed against him since he was removed from office in 2022, ranging from corruption to anti-terrorism and state secrets charges. Mr Khan has denied wrongdoing in all the cases, which his party says are politically motivated.
“The court announced the sentence without hearing the defense and sentenced Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi to 17 years’ imprisonment with heavy fines,” Mr Khan’s family lawyer Rana Mudassar Omar told Reuters.
He was given 10 years rigorous imprisonment under PakistanThe special court of Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency said in its decision that an additional seven years’ imprisonment will be given under the Penal Code and anti-corruption laws for criminal breach of trust. Information Minister Ataullah Tarar said Saturday’s decision would mark the beginning of Mr Khan’s prison sentence after serving 14 years in a land corruption case.
The case concerns luxury watches gifted to Mr Khan by Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during official visits, which prosecutors said Mr Khan and his wife bought at a heavily discounted price from the kingdom in violation of Pakistan’s gift rules. Mr Tarrar said the purchase caused a loss of several million rupees to the state.
Mr Khan’s spokesman Zulfi Bukhari said the verdict “ignores basic principles of justice” and turns the process into “a tool for selective prosecution”. Mr Khan has asked his legal team to appeal against the verdict in the Islamabad High Court, another of his lawyers, Salman Safdar, told reporters outside the jail, where the trial was underway, Geo News reported.
Another state gives the gift of punishment
The case is separate from an earlier state gift prosecution linked to Mr Khan’s August 2023 arrest. Earlier, Mr Khan was sentenced to 14 years and Bushra Bibi to seven years, which was later suspended on appeal. The couple have denied any wrongdoing.
The cases are commonly known as Toshakhana cases in Pakistan, referring to the state repository where gifts received by public officials are deposited.
Following the verdict, Mr Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party announced plans to hold protests across Punjab on Sunday.
Mr Khan’s party also says routine family and legal visits have been blocked in recent weeks despite court orders. Authorities deny any abuse and say they are receiving all the facilities afforded to prisoners.
Mr Khan, a former cricket star turned politician, remains one of Pakistan’s most polarizing figures, with his legal battle unfolding as his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party is swept from power.