A Pakistani court on Friday sentenced former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi to 17 years in prison each in the Toshakhana-2 corruption case, dealing a major blow to the jailed PTI (Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf) founder.
The verdict was delivered by a special court of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), which held the couple guilty of corruption and criminal breach of trust linked to the alleged illegal purchase of state gifts.
According to the prosecution, the case pertains to 2021, when Imran Khan allegedly received a luxury Bulgari jewellery set as a gift from a Saudi prince. Investigators told the court that the jewellery’s actual market value exceeded 71.5 million Pakistani rupees, but it was acquired for just 5.8 million rupees by misusing Toshakhana rules, causing a significant loss to the state exchequer.
The court ruled that the act amounted to misuse of authority, breach of public trust, and corruption. Under the judgment, Imran Khan has been sentenced to 10 years for criminal breach of trust and seven years under anti-corruption laws. Bushra Bibi received a cumulative 17-year sentence under similar provisions.
In addition to the jail term, the court imposed a fine of 16.4 million Pakistani rupees on each of them. The court also warned that failure to pay the fine would result in additional imprisonment.
The conviction adds to the legal troubles faced by Imran Khan, who is already incarcerated in multiple cases, and is expected to have significant political ramifications in Pakistan.
Leave a Reply