A Pakistani court has sentenced former Prime Minister Imran Khan to 14 years in prison on Friday in a land corruption case, marking a setback for the ongoing discussions between his party and the government that seek to alleviate political instability in the South Asian nation.
The verdict in the case was issued by an anti-graft court located in a prison in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, where Khan has been incarcerated since August 2023.
Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, was likewise found guilty and received a seven-year prison sentence. She had been released on bail; however, she was taken into custody following the announcement of the judgement, according to Geo News.
Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar told reporters that Khan’s party might approach higher courts to contest the ruling, and that the former cricket star could additionally submit a mercy petition to the president of Pakistan.
Omar Ayub, a close associate of Khan, stated that the party intends to contest the ruling in higher courts.
The former premier, 72, faced indictment on allegations that he and his wife received land from a real estate developer during his time in office from 2018 to 2022 in return for illegal favours.
Imran Khan and Bibi pled not guilty.
The case is linked to the Al-Qadir Trust, a non-governmental welfare organisation established by the couple during Khan’s time in office.
Prosecutors allege that the trust served as a facade for Khan to unlawfully obtain land from a real estate developer. It was reported that he received 60 acres (24 hectares) near Islamabad, along with another substantial plot adjacent to his hilltop mansion in the capital.
Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party asserts that the land was not intended for personal gain but for the spiritual and educational institution established by the former prime minister.
