Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has been sentenced to 14 years in prison in a corruption case, marking the most severe penalty he has faced to date. The former cricket star-turned-politician, who has been in detention since August 2023, has faced more than 100 charges, including allegations of leaking state secrets and misusing state gifts, all of which he claims are politically motivated.
Authorities have described this case as one of the largest corruption scandals in the country’s history, though Pakistan has seen significant financial controversies involving former leaders in the past. The charges against Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, center on allegations that they accepted a parcel of land as a bribe from a real estate tycoon through the Al-Qadir Trust, which the couple established during Khan’s tenure in office.
Investigators claim that in return, Khan used £190 million ($232 million) recovered by the UK’s National Crime Agency to pay off the tycoon’s court fines. Khan’s political party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), contends that the land was donated to the trust for a spiritual education center and was not used for personal benefit.
PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan defended the former prime minister in a post on X, stating that Khan “has done no wrong” and labeling the trial as “politically motivated.” He added, “[Imran Khan] will not give in, he will not give up, he will not break.”
The verdict, which followed multiple delays due to negotiations between Khan’s party and the government, also resulted in a seven-year prison sentence and a fine for Bushra Bibi, who was taken into custody after her sentencing.
This latest conviction adds to a growing list of legal challenges for Khan. In 2023, he was sentenced to three years in prison for failing to disclose income from the sale of gifts received while in office. Last year, he also received a 14-year sentence for selling state gifts and a 10-year sentence for leaking state secrets, though both sentences were later suspended.
Despite his imprisonment and disqualification from holding public office, Khan remains a significant figure in Pakistan’s political landscape. Candidates allied with him secured the most seats in last year’s elections.
Khan’s prosecution has sparked widespread protests from his supporters, leading to a heavy-handed response from authorities. Thousands have been arrested, and many have been injured in clashes with the police.