Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan sentenced for corruption

Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for corruption, while his wife, Bushra Bibi, received a seven-year sentence for her role in the case. Khan, who had been convicted three times prior, has been detained since the summer of 2023.

Pakistan’s Information Minister has called it the country’s largest corruption case, involving the Al-Qadir Trust, a non-profit founded by Khan and his wife during his premiership from 2018 to 2022. A judge determined that Khan was bribed by a real estate tycoon with two large plots of land in exchange for significant financial services, totaling over 225 million euros.

Khan, 72, and his wife claim innocence, alleging a politically motivated trial to prevent his return to power. Khan’s party, PTI, argues the land was intended for an educational institution for the poor.

Khan was dismissed as prime minister in 2022 following a no-confidence vote. Despite his arrest in 2023, Khan remains popular in Pakistan, with supporters staging violent protests since.

In late November of the previous year, one protest resulted in six deaths and numerous injuries. During last year’s parliamentary elections, Khan and PTI were barred from participating, leading PTI-backed politicians to run as independents; they won the most votes but failed to secure a majority.

Source: NOS

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