Imran Khan, the former cricket legend and ex-Prime Minister of Pakistan, has been sentenced to 14 years in prison after being convicted in a corruption case. This marks the longest valid jail term Khan has received since his detention in August 2023, adding to the mounting legal challenges he faces. Khan has been involved in over 100 legal cases, with accusations ranging from leaking state secrets to illicitly selling state gifts. The charges have been vehemently rejected by Khan, who claims they are politically motivated.
The latest case, described by Pakistani authorities as one of the largest of its kind, centers on allegations that Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, received a parcel of land as a bribe from a real estate tycoon. The land, they allegedly received through the Al-Qadir Trust, was purportedly used for the establishment of a spiritual education center. However, prosecutors claim that Khan used £190 million ($232 million) repatriated by the UK’s National Crime Agency to pay the tycoon’s court fines in exchange for the land. Despite these allegations, Khan’s party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), maintains that the land was a donation to the trust for public use, not for personal gain.
The court’s decision follows months of delays and tense political negotiations. Khan’s supporters, including PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan, have criticized the trial as politically driven. Gohar Ali Khan expressed on social media that Imran Khan “has done no wrong” and that the verdict was unjust, stressing that Khan would not “give in” or “break” under pressure.
In addition to Khan’s sentence, Bushra Bibi has been sentenced to seven years in prison and fined more than £2,000. After her sentence was announced, she was taken into custody. This development comes after Khan’s previous legal troubles, including a three-year prison term for failing to declare income from state gifts and additional charges related to leaking state secrets. Last year, he received a 14-year sentence for selling state gifts, and another 10-year sentence for leaking secrets, though both sentences were later suspended.
Despite being incarcerated and barred from holding public office, Khan continues to dominate Pakistan’s political landscape. His influence remains palpable, with candidates aligned with his political agenda securing the highest number of seats in last year’s elections. The ongoing prosecution of Khan has sparked widespread protests, leading to clashes with security forces. Thousands have been arrested, and many have been injured in the confrontations, highlighting the deeply polarized political environment in Pakistan.
