Shocking Blow: Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan Slammed with 14-Year Jail Term in Graft Case
On January 17, a Pakistani court found former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, guilty of corruption in the 190 million pounds Al-Qadir Trust case. Khan received a 14-year prison sentence, while Bibi was sentenced to seven years. Additionally, the court imposed fines of 1 million Pakistani rupees on Khan and 500,000 rupees on Bibi.
The case was filed by Pakistan’s National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in December 2023 against Khan, 72, Bibi, 50, and six others, accusing them of causing a loss of £190 million (50 billion Pakistani rupees) to the national exchequer. Only Khan and Bibi were prosecuted because the others, including a property tycoon, were outside the country.
Judge Nasir Javed Rana delivered the verdict in a makeshift court at Adila jail after it had been delayed thrice, most recently on January 13. The allegations are centered on the misuse of funds returned to Pakistan by the UK’s National Crime Agency. These funds, intended for the national treasury, were allegedly misappropriated for the personal benefit of a businessman who assisted Bibi and Khan in establishing a university.
Bushra Bibi, as a trustee of the Al-Qadir Trust, is accused of benefiting from this settlement, reportedly acquiring 458 kanals of land for Al-Qadir University in Jhelum. Imran Khan, who remains in prison, has dismissed the charges as “politically motivated.” He was previously jailed in 2023 on various legal cases but was acquitted in the Toshakhana and Iddat cases.
NAB prosecutors contended that Khan and Bibi failed to provide necessary documentation or explanations for the transactions, suggesting they acted with “mala fide intention.” Despite Khan’s denial of the charges, the court concluded evidencing wrongdoing in the handling of the settlement funds.
Original Source: https://www.indiatodayne.in/international/story/former-pakistan-pm-imran-khan-gets-14-year-jail-term-in-graft-case-1156091-2025-01-17?utm_source=rssfeed
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Publish Date: 2025-01-17 13:05:00
