Ex-Pakistan PM Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi, Sentenced to 17 Years in Prison for Corruption

Disgraced Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi have been sentenced to 17 years in prison on corruption charges. The sentencing follows the longtime allegations made against the pair of illegally retaining and selling state gifts, profiting from them.

A court in Pakistan found the prime minister and his wife guilty of selling valuable state gifts, including jewellery from the Saudi Arabian government, at price far below market value. Pakistani law requires all state officials to purchase gifts at market value and report the profits from the sales so that they can keep any gifts from foreign dignitaries. Khan and Bibi have denied any wrongdoing.

A Mountain of Legal Troubles

Khan and Bibi are already serving prison sentences for earlier convictions. The ruling by the Pakistani court on Saturday extended their prison terms for 17 years – 10 years for criminal breach of trust and seven years for criminal misconduct. Both sentences will be served concurrently to their existing prison terms.

Khan has been detained since 2023 and was already sentenced to 14 years in January 2025 for a separate corruption case. The former prime minister is also facing charges in 100 other cases, from leaking state secrets to selling state gifts. In Saturday's ruling, they are also ordered to pay a fine of £42,600 ($57,000).

The Jewellery Case and Other Convictions

The former prime minister and his wife were convicted after Bibi received a luxury jewellery set from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman during a state visit in 2021. As part of Pakistani law, gifts from foreign governments on state visits immediately go to the treasury or the Toshakhana department.

Should officials decide to keep the gifts, they could purchase the gifts back from the treasury. Khan allegedly sought a private firm to undervalue the jewellery set. After which, he purchased it below its market price for approximately £7,500 ($10,000). The actual market value is over £213,000 ($285,520).

Khan was previously convicted for another case concerning the Toshakhana. However, he has filed to challenge the conviction. His sentence for that case remains suspended until a court decides on the appeal. Other charges against Khan include terrorism, in line with the violent protests that took place on 9 May 2023 when he was arrested. Khan was Pakistan's Prime Minister since 2018 and was ousted in 2022 on a no-confidence vote.

'A Collapsed Judicial System'

The former prime minister and his supporters have criticised the verdict. Khan's spokesperson, Zulfikar Bukhari, said 'criminal liability was imposed without proof of intent, gain, or loss, relying instead on a retrospective interpretation of rules.'

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Khan's political party, called the proceedings a 'sham' and even criticised international coverage of the case. Khan's sister, Aleema Khanum, told Al Jazeera that the case was fabricated, calling it a 'set-up' and 'fraudulent.'

'The whole country knows he's an honest man,' Khanum told the outlet. 'He is isolated, he is being tortured through solitary confinement, him and his wife. This is the situation, two and a quarter months.'

Khanum continued, 'You think Imran is going to spend 10 years in jail for a necklace being underpriced. Seriously? That's 17 years of conviction? Of course it is a fraudulent set-up. This is a collapsed judicial system.'