News / Pakistan

Pakistan's ex-PM Imran Khan sentenced to 14-year jail term

Friday, 17 January 2025 10:25 AM [ Last Update: Friday, 17 January 2025 10:39 AM ]

Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan (File photo)

A Pakistani court has sentenced former Prime Minister Imran Khan to 14 years imprisonment in a land graft case.

Judge Nasir Javed Rana announced the verdict — previously delayed three times — on Friday in a makeshift courtroom at the Adiala jail in Rawalpindi, where Khan has been kept since August 2023.

Khan's wife Bushra Bibi was also found guilty and sentenced to seven years in prison. She was out on bail but was taken into custody after the ruling was pronounced.

"The prosecution has proven its case. Khan is convicted," said the judge, adding Khan was given a fine of Rs1 million ($3,500) while Bibi was fined half that amount.

The couple are accused of accepting a gift of land from a real estate tycoon in exchange for laundered money of £190 million ($240 million) when Khan was in power.

According to the verdict, the property of the “Sham al-Qadir University Project Trust is hereby forfeited to the Federal Government within the meaning of Section 10(a) of the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999."

Khan has denied any wrongdoing and said that all the charges against him are a plot by rivals to keep him from returning to office.

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Pakistan's Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar told reporters that Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party could reach out to higher courts for an appeal, and that the former cricket star could also file a mercy petition to the president.

Omar Ayub, an aide of Khan, said the PTI party will challenge the verdict at higher courts.

This is the fourth major conviction for the former prime minister. Last January, he faced three other convictions for selling state gifts, leaking state secrets, and unlawful marriage. These were later overturned or suspended. Despite this, Khan remains in jail with numerous cases still pending. He claims that the charges are part of a political witch-hunt.

Khan was removed from office in April 2022 through a parliamentary vote of no confidence. He alleges this was a conspiracy involving the military and the United States, both of which deny the accusations.

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