A Pakistani court on Friday convicted former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, on charges of corruption in the £190 million Al-Qadir Trust case. The court sentenced Khan to 14 years in prison and Bibi to seven years.

Judge Nasir Javed Rana of the anti-corruption court delivered the long-awaited verdict, which had been postponed three times for various reasons, most recently on January 13. The ruling was announced in a makeshift courtroom set up within Adiala Jail. In addition to their prison sentences, Imran Khan was fined Rs 1 million, while Bushra Bibi received a fine of half a million rupees. If they fail to pay these fines, Khan will face an additional six months in prison, and Bibi will serve an extra three months.

The court further ruled that the land allocated for Al-Qadir University, which was established by the couple, should be confiscated. Khan is already in jail, while Bushra Bibi was taken into custody directly from the court premises following the verdict.

“Today’s verdict has tarnished the reputation of the judiciary. In this case, neither I benefited nor the government lost. I don’t want any relief and will face all cases,” Khan was mentioned by his party. “A dictator is doing all this,” he stated.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) filed the case in December 2023 against Khan, aged 72, Bibi, aged 50, and six others. The allegations centred around a £190 million (approximately PRs 50 billion) loss to the national treasury. However, while Khan and Bibi faced prosecution, the other accused, including a prominent property tycoon, were reportedly outside the country. 

The case centres on allegations that PRs 50 billion, which the UK’s National Crime Agency returned to Pakistan as part of a settlement involving a property tycoon, was improperly utilised.

The funds, intended for the national treasury, were allegedly diverted for the personal benefit of the businessman who assisted Bushra Bibi and Imran Khan in establishing a university.

Bushra Bibi, a trustee of the Al-Qadir Trust, is accused of gaining from the settlement, including acquiring 458 kanals of land for Al-Qadir University in Jhelum. Judge Nasir Javed Rana had concluded hearings in the case on December 18, reserving the judgment for December 23. However, the decision was postponed to January 6, as the judge was on leave.

The verdict was further delayed until January 13 as the accused and their legal representatives failed to appear in court.

The judgment was finally issued amidst ongoing negotiations between the government and Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, aimed to resolve the political instability arising from Khan’s imprisonment and the detention of several PTI leaders.

So far, three rounds of discussions have occurred, with the PTI presenting its charter of demands in writing to the government.

Since his removal as prime minister in 2022, Khan has faced numerous legal cases and has been imprisoned since August 2023.