Imran Khan, the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, has been sentenced to 14 years in prison as part of a wider crackdown on corruption within the region.

The sentence was handed down by a Pakistani anti-graft court on January 17, 2025, with his wife, Bushra Bibi, receiving a 7-year sentence. This verdict reflects ongoing controversies surrounding Khan and a string of more than 100 legal cases against him, which his supporters decry as politically motivated.

Khan and Bibi were accused of receiving high-value land as a bribe from Malik Riaz, a prominent real estate tycoon, in exchange for facilitating money laundering during Khan’s presidency from 2018 to 2022. Prosecutors allege that Khan allowed Riaz to settle court fines with laundered money, which had been repatriated from the UK amounting to approximately £190 million ($240 million) ([AP News](https://apnews.com/article/pakistan-court-sentences-imran-khan-corruption-case-1257d85b807f71a9f64dabfae93d3dd0)).

These developments mark a significant escalation of tensions in Pakistan's political landscape, especially as talks between Khan’s party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and the current government had previously undertaken reconciliation measures. Yet, the court's decision is likely to derail these discussions as allegations of political witch-hunting resurface.

As part of his sentencing, Khan was levied a fine of 1 million Pakistani rupees (about $3,500), with his wife facing a lesser penalty. This latest ruling is the most severe in a series of convictions against Khan including charges of corruption, leaking classified information, and others ([BBC](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly77v0n8e9o)).

Following the verdict, Khan stated he would neither negotiate for his release nor adhere to what he terms “a political witch-hunt” against his leadership ([CNN](https://edition.cnn.com/2025/01/17/asia/imran-khan-pakistan-sentencing-intl-hnk/index.html)).

Additionally, Khan continues to command significant public support, evidenced by protests from PTI supporters who rallied against his conviction outside prisons in cities like Rawalpindi—where he has been imprisoned since August 2023. His party firmly asserts that the charges lack credible evidence ([Reuters](http://reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/pakistan-court-sentences-ex-pm-imran-khan-14-years-land-graft-case-ary-news-2025-01-17/)).

The implications of Khan's imprisonment extend beyond personal freedom as they significantly impact Pakistan's fraught political dynamics—potentially instigating further unrest and calls for his release ([Time](https://time.com/7207712/pakistan-imran-khan-wife-corruption-prison-sentence/)). Activists and opposition leaders plan to appeal his conviction, insisting on his innocence and framing the trial as a deliberate ploy to suppress political dissent.

For ongoing updates on this developing story, visit [Al Jazeera](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/1/17/pakistans-ex-pm-imran-khan-wife-sentenced-to-jail-in-corruption-case).