Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and Wife Bushra Bibi Jailed in Landmark Corruption Verdict

Bushra bibi convicted.

Imran Khan, the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, has been sentenced to 14 years in prison by a local court for his role in a land corruption case associated with the Al-Qadir Trust, as reported by ARY News. His wife, Bushra Bibi, has been given a seven-year prison term in the same case.

The case centers on allegations that the couple accepted land as a gift from a prominent real estate tycoon in exchange for facilitating the misuse of laundered money during Khan's tenure in office.

Prosecutors allege that businessman Malik Riaz, the real estate magnate involved, was allowed by Khan to use £190 million ($240 million) of funds returned to Pakistan by British authorities in 2022.

These funds, which were meant to be deposited into the national treasury, were allegedly redirected for the tycoon’s benefit. This arrangement reportedly facilitated the establishment of a university under the Al-Qadir Trust, with Bushra Bibi, as a trustee, allegedly acquiring 458 kanals of land for the institution in Jhelum as part of the scheme.

Imran Khan has consistently denied these allegations, asserting that any and all charges against him are politically motivated efforts by his rivals to prevent his return to power. Since his arrest in 2023, he has maintained his innocence, framing the accusations as part of a broader conspiracy.

Khan, who transitioned from a fantastic cricketing career to politics, is the first sitting Pakistani PM to be removed from office through a parliamentary no-confidence vote, following the now infamous Lettergate scandal in April, 2022.

Prior to this latest verdict, he had been convicted on multiple charges, including corruption, mishandling official secrets, and violating marriage laws, with sentences ranging from seven to 14 years. Under Pakistani law, concurrent sentencing means he will serve the longest sentence, which currently stands at 14 years.