Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan And Wife Sentenced To 14 Years In Prison For Selling State Prizes

JAKARTA - Pakistan's anti-corruption court sentenced Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Khan to illegally sell state gifts, his party said on Wednesday, the third sentence for the former prime minister in recent months.

The verdict also includes the disqualification of 10 years in public office, his party, Pakistan Tereek-e-Insaf (PTI) said. Bushra Khan, known as Bushra Bibi, surrendered to be arrested shortly after the verdict, added PTI.

The 14-year prison sentence is heavier than the 10-year sentence handed down to Khan on Tuesday on charges of disclosing state secrets. This was imposed just a week before the country's election. It is not clear whether these two sentences will be carried out simultaneously or not.

"Another sad day in the history of our justice system, which is being dismantled," Khan's media team said, denying allegations that illegal acts were committed.

" Cross questions are not allowed, no final arguments are concluded and decisions arise as predetermined processes," he said, adding "This ridiculous decision will also be challenged."

Khan and his wife were illegally charged with selling gifts worth more than 140 million state-owned rupees received during the 2018-2022 prime ministerial term. Government officials accused Khan's aides of selling the prize in Dubai.

The list of prizes distributed by the former minister of information includes perfume, diamond jewelry, dinner sets and seven watches, six of which are Role, the most expensive of which is a "Mister Graph limited edition" worth 85 million rupees.

The verdict handed down on Wednesday follows an investigation conducted by the country's highest anti-corruption agency, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), which also indicted his wife in the case.

"The punishment for Bushra is an attempt to put pressure on Khan further," said PTI chairman and lawyer Gohar Ali Khan in a television interview.

"Bushra Bibi has nothing to do with this case," he said.

The sentence handed down on Khan previously resulted in a five-year ban on holding public office, which made the 71-year-old man absent from elections on February 8. However, Wednesday's ruling prevented him from qualifying for office until he was 81 years old.

NAB, the anti-corruption agency that has tried Khan, has been investigating, adjudicating and imprisoning all prime ministers since 2008, including Khan's main political rival, Nawaz Sharif, whose party is considered the leading candidate to win the national election next week.