Imran Khan, Wife Sentenced in Al-Qadir Trust Corruption Case

A Pakistani court has sentenced former Prime Minister Imran Khan to 14 years in prison and his wife, Bushra Bibi, to seven years for corruption related to a high-profile land deal involving real estate tycoon Malik Riaz. The case revolves around allegations that the couple accepted a land gift in exchange for laundering approximately £190 million ($240 million) intended for the national treasury. Khan, who has been imprisoned since August 2023, has consistently denied any wrongdoing, claiming that the charges are politically motivated efforts to prevent his return to power after his ouster in April 2022. Following the verdict, protests erupted outside parliament, with supporters of Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party demanding justice and decrying the ruling as unjust. The court's decision has sparked discussions about the integrity of the judicial process in Pakistan, with officials asserting that the verdict is based on irrefutable evidence. Khan's legal troubles continue to mount, as he faces numerous other charges, further complicating the political landscape in the country.