In a dramatic turn of events, former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife faced a verdict on Wednesday, handed down a 14-year jail sentence after being found guilty of corruption tied to gifts received during Khan’s premiership. The announcement, just a week before the national elections, adds another layer of intensity to an already heated political climate.
This development follows closely on the heels of Khan receiving a 10-year prison term a day earlier, this time in connection with a case involving the leaking of state secrets. The timing of these sentences, on the eve of a crucial electoral moment, has raised eyebrows and fueled debates over the independence and integrity of the judicial system.
A spokesperson for Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party expressed dismay, describing it as “another sad day in our judicial system’s history, which is being dismantled.” The sentiment reflects growing concerns among Khan’s supporters, who allege that legal actions are politically motivated to thwart his return to power.
The specifics of whether Khan’s sentences will run consecutively or concurrently remain unclear, adding an air of uncertainty to an already tumultuous situation. Salman Safdar, Khan’s lawyer, confirmed that the former Prime Minister and his wife, Bushra Bibi, were both sentenced. While Khan has been in detention since his arrest in August, Bibi had been on remand throughout the trial.
The couple’s marriage in 2018, mere months before Khan assumed office, has been the subject of scrutiny and intrigue. Bibi, a faith healer who crossed paths with Khan during a spiritual quest, has largely remained out of the public eye.
With approximately 127 million eligible voters set to cast their ballots next Thursday, the political landscape is rife with tension and allegations of electoral malpractice. Despite Khan and PTI being central to the national discourse, the lead-up to the elections has been marred by accusations of rigging, with Khan himself disqualified from running due to a prior corruption conviction.
Since his ousting in 2022, Khan has found himself entangled in a web of legal battles, which he claims are orchestrated to prevent his return to office. Accusing the powerful military, with whom he once governed, of engineering his downfall, Khan has maintained a defiant stance.
The political turbulence has not been without consequences. Riots erupted across the country when Khan was initially arrested in May of the previous year, only to be quelled by a military crackdown that led to the detention of thousands of supporters. Dozens of senior leaders were forced into hiding, and a hundred individuals are currently facing closed-door military trials.
In response to his 10-year sentence, Khan issued a statement on his X profile, urging his followers to use their votes as a means of resistance. “You have to take revenge for every injustice with your vote on February 8,” he declared, emphasizing that they are not “sheep that can be driven with a stick.” The coming days are sure to witness heightened political tensions as Pakistan navigates through this stormy chapter in its history.
