Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, have been sentenced to 14 years in jail with rigorous punishment, as reported by local media in Pakistan. The Islamabad accountability court also banned them from holding any public office for a decade and imposed a fine of Rs787 million.
The sentencing comes in the wake of the Toshakhana case, which involves accusations of misusing state gifts during Imran Khan's tenure as Prime Minister. This verdict has been delivered just ahead of the general elections in Pakistan.
The Toshakhana case centers on allegations of misappropriating gifts received by the state during Imran Khan's time in office. The court found both Imran Khan and his wife guilty of the charges brought against them in connection to this matter.
This is the second legal blow for the beleaguered former cricket star in recent times. He was previously convicted to three years in jail in a corruption case. Although his prison sentence was suspended as he appealed the corruption conviction, it had already barred him from participating in the upcoming general elections.
Despite efforts by Khan's legal team to secure his release from jail, where he has been held since August last year, away from the public eye, the latest conviction makes it unlikely, pending an appeal in a higher court.
Since his ousting from power in a parliamentary vote of no confidence in 2022, Khan has been embroiled in numerous legal battles.
Khan contends that the leaked cable provides evidence of a conspiracy between the Pakistani military and the US government to overthrow his administration in 2022, following his visit to Moscow shortly before Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Both Washington and the Pakistani military have denied these allegations.
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