"Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi have been sentenced to 17 years in prison after a Pakistani court found them guilty of illegally retaining and selling valuable state gifts. The sentence, handed down on Saturday, capped a years-long saga that saw the duo accused of selling various gifts including jewellery from the Saudi Arabian government at far below market value. They have denied all charges."
"His party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, wrote on social media that the proceedings were a sham and criticised international media coverage of the case. The 73-year-old former leader served as Pakistan's prime minister from 2018 until April 2022, when he was ousted in a no-confidence vote. He was imprisoned starting in August 2023 on various charges of corruption and revealing state secrets, all of which he has denied and claimed to be politically motivated."
Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi received 17-year prison sentences after a court found them guilty of illegally retaining and selling valuable state gifts, including Saudi jewellery. Pakistani law requires officials to purchase foreign gifts at market value and declare any profits from sales. Prosecutors said the couple bought the items for $10,000 while the market value was $285,521 and profited from the difference. The couple denied the charges. Supporters condemned the ruling as imposed without proof of intent, gain, or loss. Khan, a former prime minister and celebrated cricketer, remains politically popular and has faced multiple legal cases since 2023.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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