Imran Khan Sentenced to 14 Years in Jail, Bushra Bibi Gets 7 Years in 190 Million Pound Corruption Case

Islamabad’s Accountability Court has sentenced former Prime Minister Imran Khan to 14 years in prison in the 190 million pound corruption case, while his wife, Bushra Bibi, has been given 7 years for aiding the crime. Additionally, Imran Khan has been fined Rs. 1 million, and Bushra Bibi Rs. 500,000. If they fail to pay the fine, Imran Khan will face an additional 6 months in jail, while Bushra Bibi will serve 3 more months.

The verdict was delivered by Judge Nasir Javed Rana on Friday, January 17, 2025, after being reserved for over a month. As part of the decision, the Al-Qadir University and Al-Qadir Trust have been taken into government custody.

The case revolves around 190 million pounds (approximately Rs. 50 billion) that were returned to Pakistan by UK authorities as part of a corruption investigation involving real estate tycoon Malik Riaz. The prosecution argued that instead of depositing the funds into the national treasury, the PTI government returned the money to Malik Riaz in exchange for land allocated to the Al-Qadir Trust, an entity associated with Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi.

During the trial, key figures such as Malik Riaz, Ali Riaz, Farhat Shahzadi (Farah Gogi), Shehzad Akbar, Zulfi Bukhari, and Zia Mustafa Naseem were declared absconders, with permanent arrest warrants issued against them.

The trial was completed in one year, and the verdict was originally reserved on December 18, 2024. However, the announcement was postponed four times before finally being delivered on January 17, 2025.

Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi were present in court when the verdict was read. The courtroom also had defense lawyers, prosecution teams, and 22 journalists covering the proceedings.

Following the verdict, Imran Khan’s legal team announced plans to appeal in the Islamabad High Court, claiming that the case was politically motivated and part of an attempt to keep the PTI chairman out of politics. PTI leaders and supporters have also condemned the decision, calling it a targeted attack on their leader.

This verdict adds to a series of legal challenges faced by Imran Khan, who has been convicted in multiple cases over the past year. His party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), maintains that all charges against him are politically driven and aimed at sidelining him before the upcoming elections.

The case has further intensified the political landscape in Pakistan, with PTI supporters calling for nationwide protests against what they claim is “political victimization”.