Imran Khan Sentenced To 14 Years

Former Prime Minister of Pakistan and cricket star-turned-politician, Imran Khan, has been sentenced to 14 years in prison and fined more than £4,000 for corruption in the Al-Qadir Trust case. His wife, Bushra Bibi, was also convicted and sentenced to seven years in prison and fined more than £2,000.

This is the longest prison sentence Khan has received since he was ousted from power in 2022. Despite being in jail, he remains a prominent figure in Pakistani politics. Khan  has faced charges in over 100 cases, including allegations of corruption, inciting violence, and leaking state secrets. 

The latest case has been described as the largest, the country has ever witnessed. Khan and his wife are accused of accepting land as a bribe from a real estate tycoon through their Al-Qadir Trust, which they established during Khan's time in office. Authorities claim Khan used £190 million ($232 million), returned to Pakistan by the UK's National Crime Agency, to settle the tycoon’s court fines.

However, Khan’s political party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), denies the allegations, arguing that the land was donated for a spiritual education center and not for personal benefit. PTI chairman Gohar Ali Khan described the trial as politically motivated, stating, "Imran Khan has done no wrong and will not give up." 

Khan’s party and supporters continue to insist that the charges are an attempt to silence him and weaken his political influence.