Imran Khan and wife sentenced in corruption case

Islamabad: A Pakistani court has sentenced former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, to 14 and seven years in prison, respectively, in the £190 million Al-Qadir Trust corruption case.

Anti-Corruption Court Judge Nasir Javed Rana delivered the verdict in a makeshift court inside Adiala Jail. The judgment, initially scheduled for January 13, had been delayed multiple times.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) filed the case in December 2023, accusing Khan, 72, Bushra Bibi, 50, and six others of causing a loss of £190 million (approximately PKR 50 billion) to the national exchequer.

However, the trial proceeded only against Khan and Bibi, as the other accused, including a property businessman, are outside Pakistan.

The case alleges that funds amounting to PKR 50 billion, returned to Pakistan by the UK’s National Crime Agency under an agreement with the businessman, were misappropriated.

The money, intended for the national exchequer, was allegedly used for the personal benefit of the businessman, who assisted in establishing a university with Khan and Bibi.