A Pakistani court on Friday convicted former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, in a landmark corruption case, sentencing Khan to 14 years in prison.
Khan, who has been in custody since August 2023 facing around 200 charges, maintains that the latest conviction is part of an effort to pressure him out of politics. “I will neither make any deal nor seek any relief,” Khan told reporters in the courtroom after the verdict.
The anti-corruption court, convened at the jail where Khan is being held near Islamabad, found both Khan and Bibi guilty of corruption related to the Al-Qadir Trust, a welfare foundation they established together. Judge Nasir Javed Rana announced a 14-year sentence for Khan and seven years for Bibi, stating, “The prosecution has proven its case.”
Bibi, a faith healer, was arrested at the court following the conviction, despite recently being released on bail, according to her spokeswoman Mashal Yousafzai.
Khan’s political party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has vowed to challenge the verdict. The conviction follows a rare meeting between PTI leaders and the government aimed at reducing political tensions.
Khan continues to assert that all the charges against him are politically motivated attempts to prevent his return to power. He has been convicted four times in the past, with two of those convictions overturned and the sentences in the other two suspended.
Despite the multiple cases against him, Khan remains in prison over the Al-Qadir Trust case, which is the longest-running legal battle he faces, along with additional charges related to inciting protests.
The court’s announcement had been delayed three times, with some analysts speculating that behind-the-scenes negotiations were taking place.
Earlier this month, Khan stated on social media that he had been “indirectly approached” with the possibility of house arrest, but the 72-year-old has remained defiant, continuing to criticize the government and vowing to fight the charges legally.
Political analysts assert that the military plays a key role in Pakistan’s political dynamics, although military officials deny any interference. Khan’s popularity continues to challenge the current coalition government, which prevented PTI from regaining power in last year’s elections.
Since being ousted from office in 2022, the former cricket star has mounted an unprecedented campaign, openly criticizing the country’s military leadership. A UN panel of experts found last year that Khan’s detention lacked legal justification and appeared aimed at disqualifying him from running for office.
Khan was barred from standing in the February elections, and his PTI party faced a severe crackdown. Despite winning more seats than any other party, PTI was shut out of power by a coalition of parties seen as more aligned with the military establishment.
