Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan and Wife Bushra Bibi Convicted In £190 Million Al-Qadir Trust Case, Sentenced To Jail

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, were convicted on Friday (17 January) in the £190 million Al-Qadir Trust corruption case.

Khan (72) was sentenced to 14 years in prison, while Bibi (50), received a seven-year jail term. The court also imposed fines of 1 million Pakistani rupees on Khan and 5 lakh Pakistani rupees on Bibi.

This marks the fourth major conviction for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief, who has described the charges as “politically motivated.”

The case, filed by Pakistan’s National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in December 2023, alleged that Khan, Bibi, and six others caused a loss of £190 million (50 billion Pakistani rupees) to the national exchequer.

However, only Khan and Bibi have been prosecuted, with the other accused, including a prominent property tycoon, currently residing outside Pakistan.

The allegations centre on claims that Khan and Bushra Bibi facilitated the transfer of billions of rupees and hundreds of kanals of land from Bahria Town Ltd in exchange for legalising 50 billion rupees returned to Pakistan by the United Kingdom during Khan’s tenure.

NAB prosecutors argued that the funds, intended for the national treasury, were diverted for personal benefit, including the establishment of Al-Qadir University in Jhelum.

As a trustee of the Al-Qadir Trust, Bushra Bibi is accused of directly benefiting from the settlement, acquiring 458 kanals of land for the university.

NAB’s reference alleged that Khan played a “pivotal role in the illicit transfer of funds meant for the state” into a private account used to pay for Bahria Town land in Karachi.

Khan was first arrested in connection with the case in May 2023, spending less than 48 hours in custody. His arrest sparked widespread protests across the country, with PTI supporters rioting in several cities.

Despite the convictions, Khan maintains his innocence, stating that the allegations are part of a politically driven campaign against him.