Ex-Pakistan PM Imran Khan sentenced to 14 years in jail in corruption case – defence lawyer

Pakistan’s former prime minister Imran Khan has been given a 14-year jail sentence in a land corruption case, a defence lawyer has said.

The verdict in the case came after allegations of possible bribery involving land in return for a £190m favour to a real estate tycoon.

It is linked to the Al-Qadir Trust that Mr Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi set up while he was in office, which prosecutors say was a front for the former prime minister.

Mr Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party says the land was not for personal gain, and instead was meant for a spiritual educational institution.

The 72-year-old, also a World Cup-winning cricketer, was removed from office in 2022 by a vote of no confidence. He has been in prison since August 2023 and says he has faced more than 150 criminal cases.

Including the Al Qadir Trust corruption case, Mr Khan has been charged with graft and misuse of power, and has also been accused of inciting violence against the state after being removed from office.

He has either been acquitted or his sentences suspended in most cases, except for one charge of inciting supporters to rampage through military facilities to protest against his arrest on 9 May 2023.

Ms Bibi was also convicted in the land corruption case. Local outlet Geo News reported that she was taken into custody shortly after the verdict, having been out on bail.

The PTI said in a statement: “Whilst we wait for detailed decision, it’s important to note that, the Al Qadir Trust case against Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi lacks any solid foundation and is bound to collapse.”

Mr Khan’s latest conviction comes just a day after the PTI held formal reconciliatory talks with the government.

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