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Pakistan Court Convicts Former PM Imran Khan and Wife in Landmark Graft Case

Pakistan Court Convicts Former PM Imran Khan and Wife in Landmark Graft Case

In a significant development, a Pakistan court on Friday sentenced former Prime Minister Imran Khan to 14 years in prison and his wife, Bushra Bibi, to seven years in a high-profile graft case. The conviction revolves around alleged misappropriations linked to the couple's Al-Qadir Trust, a welfare foundation they co-founded.

The anti-graft court convened inside the jail near Islamabad, where Khan has been held since August 2023 amidst nearly 200 legal cases. Judge Nasir Javed Rana declared, "The prosecution has proven its case. Khan is convicted." Bibi, recently out on bail, was re-arrested following the ruling, according to her spokesperson Mashal Yousafzai.

Khan, maintaining the cases are politically motivated, told reporters, "I will neither make any deal nor seek any relief." Analysts suggest the verdict is part of an effort to pressure Khan into a political compromise, particularly with the military, from whom he has openly distanced himself since being ousted in 2022.

Khan's detention has drawn international criticism, including a 2022 UN panel report that found "no legal basis" for his imprisonment, asserting it aimed to disqualify him from political participation. Despite being barred from February's general elections, Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party won the most seats but was sidelined by a coalition perceived to be aligned with the military.

This latest conviction, delayed multiple times over recent weeks, further complicates the political landscape in Pakistan. Khan’s four prior convictions saw mixed outcomes, with two overturned and two suspended, but he remains in jail awaiting resolution of numerous other cases.

The court’s ruling underscores the tense interplay between Pakistan's judiciary, political elite, and military, as Khan’s high-profile battle continues to reshape the country's political narrative.

Pakistan Court Convicts Former PM Imran Khan and Wife in Landmark Graft Case

Pakistan Court Convicts Former PM Imran Khan and Wife in Landmark Graft Case
In a significant development, a Pakistan court on Friday sentenced former Prime Minister Imran Khan to 14 years in prison and his wife, Bushra Bibi, to seven years in a high-profile graft case. The conviction revolves around alleged misappropriations linked to the couple's Al-Qadir Trust, a welfare foundation they co-founded.

The anti-graft court convened inside the jail near Islamabad, where Khan has been held since August 2023 amidst nearly 200 legal cases. Judge Nasir Javed Rana declared, "The prosecution has proven its case. Khan is convicted." Bibi, recently out on bail, was re-arrested following the ruling, according to her spokesperson Mashal Yousafzai.

Khan, maintaining the cases are politically motivated, told reporters, "I will neither make any deal nor seek any relief." Analysts suggest the verdict is part of an effort to pressure Khan into a political compromise, particularly with the military, from whom he has openly distanced himself since being ousted in 2022.

Khan's detention has drawn international criticism, including a 2022 UN panel report that found "no legal basis" for his imprisonment, asserting it aimed to disqualify him from political participation. Despite being barred from February's general elections, Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party won the most seats but was sidelined by a coalition perceived to be aligned with the military.

This latest conviction, delayed multiple times over recent weeks, further complicates the political landscape in Pakistan. Khan’s four prior convictions saw mixed outcomes, with two overturned and two suspended, but he remains in jail awaiting resolution of numerous other cases.

The court’s ruling underscores the tense interplay between Pakistan's judiciary, political elite, and military, as Khan’s high-profile battle continues to reshape the country's political narrative.

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