ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Khan were each sentenced to 14 years in jail in a case related to illegal selling of state gifts, his party said on Wednesday.
The verdict also includes a 10-year disqualification from holding public office, his party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), said. Bushra Khan, commonly known as Bushra Bibi, was arrested shortly after the verdict, PTI said.
The sentencing by an anti-graft court in Islamabad comes a day after Khan was handed a 10-year jail term in another case in which he was convicted of revealing state secrets, and a week before national elections.
“Another sad day in our judicial system history, which is being dismantled,” Khan’s media team said, denying the charges.
“No cross questioning allowed, no final argument concluded and decision pops up like a pre-determined process in play,” it said, adding “This ridiculous decision will also be challenged.”
Khan was also handed a three-year prison sentence in August by another court for selling gifts worth more than 140 million rupees ($501,000) in state possession and received during his 2018-2022 premiership.
Wednesday’s verdict was linked to the same matter, but followed an investigation by the country’s top anti-graft body, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), which had also charged his wife in the case.
A prosecution team member, speaking to Reuters on the condition of anonymity, confirmed the verdict. Local broadcaster Geo News reported that the verdict also came with a hefty fine.
Khan’s earlier three-year sentence was later suspended but Khan remains behind bars in connection with other cases. He has said that he legally purchased the state gifts.
Government officials have alleged Khan’s aides sold the gifts in Dubai.
Khan’s earlier conviction resulted in a five-year ban from holding public office, ruling the 71-year-old out of the upcoming Feb 8 election. Wednesday’s verdict, however, means that he will be ineligible to hold office till he is 81.
While Khan has been found guilty in two separate cases, this is the first sentencing for his wife Bushra. The two were married in 2018, months before Khan ascended to premiership for the first time. It was Khan’s third marriage after two divorces.
Pakistan ex-PM Imran Khan, wife, jailed for 14 years in graft case, his party says
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Pakistan ex-PM Imran Khan, wife, jailed for 14 years in graft case, his party says
- Sentencing comes a day after Khan was handed a 10-year jail term over accusations he leaked state secrets
- Last August, Khan got three-year prison sentence for selling state gifts worth more than $501,000
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia agree to boost security, counterterrorism ties
- Talal Chaudhry meets Saudi deputy interior minister during visit to Riyadh, calls for regular engagement
- Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a joint defense pact last year, formalizing long-standing military relations
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Saudi Arabia agreed on Tuesday to enhance cooperation on security and counterterrorism, said an official statement, as Pakistan’s Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry met Saudi Deputy Interior Minister Abdulaziz bin Mohammed bin Ayyaf in Riyadh.
The meeting comes against the backdrop of deepening defense and security ties between the two countries. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia last year signed a bilateral defense accord that elevated long-standing military cooperation into a formal security commitment, with both sides pledging to treat aggression against one as a threat to the other.
“Continuous engagement between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia is essential for peace and stability in the region,” Chaudhry said in a statement released after the meeting, which also noted an understanding to strengthen security and counterterrorism cooperation.
He also represented Pakistan at the World Defense Show 2026, a major international exhibition hosted in Riyadh that brings together governments, armed forces and global defense manufacturers.
During the visit, the Pakistani minister also conveyed greetings on behalf of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi to the Saudi leadership ahead of the holy month of Ramadan, which begins later this month.
