Islamabad, Dec 20: A Pakistani court on Friday sentenced former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi to 17 years’ imprisonment each in a corruption case involving the alleged underpriced purchase of luxury state gifts, court officials and defence lawyers said.
The verdict relates to the acquisition of high-value gifts received during Khan’s tenure in office, including luxury watches presented by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, which prosecutors say were bought from the state at heavily discounted rates in violation of Pakistan’s gift rules.
Khan, who has been incarcerated since August 2023, is already serving a 14-year sentence in a separate land graft case. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the latest prison term would take effect after completion of the existing sentence, adding that the discounted purchases caused losses of several million rupees to the state.
In its ruling, the Federal Investigation Agency’s special court awarded 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment for criminal breach of trust and an additional seven years under anti-corruption laws.
Khan and his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party have rejected the charges, describing them as politically motivated. “The court announced the sentence without hearing the defence,” Khan’s family lawyer Rana Mudassar Umer told Reuters, calling the process unfair. PTI spokesperson Zulfi Bukhari said the verdict ignored “basic principles of justice” and amounted to “selective prosecution.”
Khan has instructed his legal team to appeal the decision at the Islamabad High Court, lawyer Salman Safdar said.
The case is part of the widely known Toshakhana cases, referring to Pakistan’s state repository of gifts received by public officials. Earlier convictions in a similar state gifts matter were suspended on appeal.
Following the verdict, PTI announced plans for protests across Punjab on Saturday. Authorities have denied allegations of mistreatment in custody, saying Khan is receiving facilities available to prisoners.
