Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi**, were convicted and sentenced to 14 years in prison.
A Pakistani court handed down the sentences on Wednesday (January 31) against Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi. The day before, Imran Khan was sentenced to 10 years in prison in a case related to leaking ***.
A spokesman for his Pakistan Freedom Party (PTI) told **: "[The verdict marks] another sad day in the history of our justice system, which is being dismantled." ”
It is unclear whether Imran Khan's sentence will be served consecutively or at the same time. His lawyer confirmed to AFP that he was sentenced with his wife, Brash, who had been remanded in custody throughout the trial and had not yet been sentenced.
The two married in 2018, before Imran Khan was elected prime minister. Brash is a spiritual teacher who met when Imran Khan sought spiritual guidance from her, and she rarely appears in public.
Elections will be held in Pakistan on 8 February.
Elections in Pakistan are set to take place next Thursday (8 February). Although Imran Khan is no longer prime minister after being ousted in 2022, he and his party remain the focus of debate. He was barred from running for his previous crimes, and the PTI was also subjected to a massive crackdown.
Imran Khan's first ** time in May last year was marked by chaos across the country and the detention of thousands of supporters. Imran Khan said the Pakistani military orchestrated his ** in a U.S.-backed conspiracy.
After being sentenced to 10 years in prison on Tuesday, he posted an appeal to supporters on social media platform X: "On February 8, you have to fight back against every injustice with your ballots." ”
"Tell them that we are not sheep that we can drive with sticks," he said. ”
According to a survey, Pakistani financial professionals believe Imran Khan is the top candidate to lead Pakistan's economic recovery, ranking him the highest among 12 traders, economists and analysts at the country's largest brokerage firm. Interviewees cited his enduring popularity as a front-hemisphere star as a key factor and that he will be able to drive market-focused reforms in the long run.