BY EMMANUEL OGBONNA
A Pakistani court on Saturday convicted former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, sentencing both to 17 years in prison after finding them guilty of unlawfully retaining and selling state gifts received during Khan’s time in office, according to officials and representatives of his party.
The verdict followed a high-profile trial centered on allegations that the couple improperly declared and sold gifts presented by foreign dignitaries, including jewelry from the Saudi government, at prices far below their true market value. Prosecutors said the gifts were declared at a value of just over $10,000, despite an assessed market value exceeding $285,000, enabling the couple to purchase the items at a heavily discounted rate before selling them.
Khan and Bushra Bibi pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were indicted last year. The prosecution argued that the declarations violated Pakistan’s rules governing the handling of gifts received by public officeholders. Under the law, officials may retain such gifts only by purchasing them at their assessed market value and must accurately declare any income earned from subsequent sales.
The court announced the verdict inside Adiala prison in Rawalpindi, where Khan is currently incarcerated. His party said Khan was present when the judge delivered the ruling.
Zulfiquar Bukhari, a spokesperson for Khan, sharply criticized the decision, calling it a miscarriage of justice. In a statement, Bukhari said the court imposed criminal liability without establishing intent, personal gain, or financial loss to the state, and accused prosecutors of relying on a retrospective reinterpretation of the rules. He added that the ruling raised serious concerns about the fairness and impartiality of the judicial process, describing it as an example of selective prosecution.
Khan’s party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, also condemned the verdict, labeling it “a black chapter in history” and asserting that the case was politically motivated. Party leaders reiterated claims that a series of legal actions against Khan are designed to sideline him from national politics.
Now 73, Khan was removed from office through a no-confidence vote in April 2022 and has since become the central figure in a prolonged political and legal confrontation with Pakistan’s authorities. Since 2023, he has been serving multiple prison sentences related to corruption and other cases, all of which he and his supporters say are aimed at blocking his return to political power.
The latest conviction further complicates Khan’s legal situation and deepens political divisions in the country, as his supporters continue to challenge the legitimacy of the proceedings while the government maintains that the cases are being handled in accordance with the law.
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