Court Delivers Verdict in State Gifts Controversy
A Pakistani judicial body has imposed 17-year prison sentences on former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his spouse Bushra Bibi. The ruling, delivered on Saturday, concludes legal proceedings that found the pair guilty of unlawfully keeping and selling valuable presents received from foreign dignitaries.
Under Pakistani regulations, officials must purchase such gifts at market rates and report any earnings from subsequent sales. Prosecutors asserted the couple acquired items for just $10,000—far below their assessed value of $285,521—and profited from their disposal.
Khan's representative Zulfikar Bukhari condemned the decision, stating: "criminal liability was imposed without proof of intent, gain, or loss, relying instead on a retrospective reinterpretation of rules." The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party labeled the trial a "sham" on social platforms.
Background and Current Situation
The 73-year-old ex-premier, who governed from 2018 until his removal via no-confidence vote in April 2022, has been detained since August 2023 on multiple corruption and secrecy allegations. He maintains his innocence, attributing the cases to political persecution.
Once a celebrated cricket star, Khan retains substantial domestic support. His incarceration has sparked demonstrations across Pakistan over the past two years.
Currently held at a Rawalpindi facility, Khan is "kept inside all the time," according to his sister Uzma Khanum, who recently visited him. She reported he feels "very angry" about the isolation, viewing the "mental torture" of confinement as "worse than physical abuse."
