Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi have been sentenced to further jail terms following a fraud case involving state gifts. They were convicted of breaking Pakistan's rules on gifts after Bibi was given a luxury jewellery set by Saudi Arabia's Mohammed bin Salman during a 2021 state visit.
The pair are already serving time in prison for earlier convictions, and the new sentences - 10 years for criminal breach of trust and seven years for criminal misconduct, and a fine - will reportedly run concurrently to their earlier terms.
Khan has described the charges as politically motivated and his lawyer told BBC News his team plan to challenge the verdict.
Speaking to the BBC after the sentencing, Khan’s lawyer, Salman Safdar, said they had not been present for the hearing and had only been informed about the sentencing late on Friday night.
This case is the latest in a series of charges against the cricket star-turned-politician, who has been detained since August 2023. In January, he was sentenced to 14 years in prison over a separate corruption case.
The jewellery case, known as Toshakhana 2 in Pakistan, relates to a Bulgari jewellery set given to Bushra Bibi. Under Pakistan’s rules, these items are supposed to go to Pakistan's state treasury, but politicians can buy them back. Khan allegedly asked a private firm to undervalue the jewellery before purchasing it back at a reduced price.
In addition to their jail terms, they were also fined over 16 million Pakistani rupees (\u00a342,600). Khan has previously been acquitted in a separate Toshakhana case, but he still faces charges in over 100 other cases, ranging from leaking state secrets to selling state gifts.
Despite not being seen in public, Khan’s social media accounts are still active with messages critical of the current government and military leadership in Pakistan.
The pair are already serving time in prison for earlier convictions, and the new sentences - 10 years for criminal breach of trust and seven years for criminal misconduct, and a fine - will reportedly run concurrently to their earlier terms.
Khan has described the charges as politically motivated and his lawyer told BBC News his team plan to challenge the verdict.
Speaking to the BBC after the sentencing, Khan’s lawyer, Salman Safdar, said they had not been present for the hearing and had only been informed about the sentencing late on Friday night.
This case is the latest in a series of charges against the cricket star-turned-politician, who has been detained since August 2023. In January, he was sentenced to 14 years in prison over a separate corruption case.
The jewellery case, known as Toshakhana 2 in Pakistan, relates to a Bulgari jewellery set given to Bushra Bibi. Under Pakistan’s rules, these items are supposed to go to Pakistan's state treasury, but politicians can buy them back. Khan allegedly asked a private firm to undervalue the jewellery before purchasing it back at a reduced price.
In addition to their jail terms, they were also fined over 16 million Pakistani rupees (\u00a342,600). Khan has previously been acquitted in a separate Toshakhana case, but he still faces charges in over 100 other cases, ranging from leaking state secrets to selling state gifts.
Despite not being seen in public, Khan’s social media accounts are still active with messages critical of the current government and military leadership in Pakistan.
