Islamabad: Former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, along with his wife, received a 14-year jail sentence on Wednesday for corruption charges related to gifts received during his tenure as premier. This verdict, delivered just a week before national elections, follows a separate case where Khan was sentenced to 10 years for leaking state secrets.
Expressing disappointment, a spokesperson for Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party criticized the judicial system, stating, “Another sad day in our history, witnessing the dismantling of our judicial system.”
It remains unclear whether Khan’s sentences will be served consecutively or concurrently, as the trial took place within the jail where he has been detained since his arrest in August.
Khan’s lawyer, Salman Safdar, confirmed that both Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, were sentenced. Bibi, a faith healer who married Khan in 2018, had been in remand throughout the trial.
Despite the legal challenges, Khan and PTI are still central to the upcoming national elections, which have already been marred by allegations of rigging. Khan himself is barred from running due to a previous graft conviction, and his party has faced a significant crackdown.
Since his ouster in 2022, Khan has been entangled in multiple court cases, claiming they are politically motivated to prevent his return to office after his defiance against Pakistan’s military. He had accused the military of orchestrating his removal in a US-backed conspiracy.
The arrest of Khan last year led to widespread riots, but a subsequent military crackdown curbed his street power. Thousands of his supporters were detained, and dozens of leaders were forced underground. Despite the challenges, Khan urged his followers to seek justice through voting, stating, “You have to take revenge for every injustice with your vote on February 8. Tell them that we are not sheep that can be driven with a stick,” in a statement posted on his profile.
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