In a significant legal development, on Wednesday, the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, and his wife, Bushra Bibi, were handed a 14-year rigorous imprisonment sentence in a corruption case. This comes as another setback for the 71-year-old cricket legend-turned-politician, who had received a 10-year jail term a day earlier for leaking sensitive state secrets.
The verdict, delivered by an accountability court just eight days before the upcoming general elections on February 8, compounds Khan's legal challenges. The leader, already serving a three-year jail term for corruption in a separate case, faces additional obstacles with his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI). The PTI encountered issues ranging from the denial of its election symbol, the cricket bat, to the rejection of nomination papers for Khan, former Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, and other party leaders.
The hearing took place at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, where Khan is currently incarcerated, and Judge Mohammad Bashir presided over the proceedings. In the Toshakhana corruption case, Khan was accused of retaining expensive state gifts received during his tenure as Pakistan's premier. The court not only sentenced Khan and his wife to 14 years in prison but also barred them from holding any public office for a decade. Additionally, both were fined Rs 787 million each. Bushra Bibi, 49, did not appear in court on Wednesday.
During the hearing, Khan expressed dissatisfaction, claiming he was deceived into attending merely to mark his attendance. He stated that he would submit his statement once his lawyers arrived. Following the verdict, Bushra Bibi surrendered before the authorities after arriving at Adiala Jail.
In a quick response, the PTI criticized the judgment, asserting that it undermines the judiciary's respect. They argued that the accused were not given sufficient time, and the trial process was rushed without allowing the right of cross-examination for the defense.
Separately, the PTI announced that the decisions, made hastily, would not dampen the enthusiasm of PTI supporters during the election. They alleged changes in the star witness and criticized the evaluation of gifts, highlighting the absence of cross-questioning and final arguments.
The PTI pledged to challenge the verdict, emphasizing that the decisions lacked a basis and amounted to a disregard and mockery of the law. This latest conviction adds to Khan's legal woes since his removal from power in 2022. The PTI leader was previously convicted in the Toshakhana case, which resulted in a three-year imprisonment initially suspended but later upheld by a division bench.
The recent sentencing follows a fresh case filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) against Khan and Bushra for retaining a jewelry set from the Saudi crown prince. The set, valued at Rs 1.57 billion, was allegedly undervalued, with the couple paying only Rs 9 million.
These legal troubles compound with a 10-year sentence under the Official Secrets Act handed to Khan and Qureshi a day earlier. This marks Khan's third conviction since 2022, raising concerns about the political landscape in Pakistan. The PTI vowed to challenge the decisions, asserting that they lack a basis and are part of a predetermined process.
The political atmosphere is tense, with opposition parties using the verdict to criticize Khan, once hailed as "Sadiq and Ameen" (righteous and trustworthy) by the Supreme Court. Meanwhile, the Islamabad High Court upheld the jail trial notifications related to Toshakhana and the 190 million pound settlement cases. The court dismissed the PTI founder's objections, emphasizing that the trial was held due to threats to the petitioner's life, dismissing any malice.
(With Agency Inputs)
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