Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan, along with his wife Bushra Bibi, has received a 14-year jail term for unlawfully selling state gifts.
This follows a 10-year prison sentence handed to Khan a day earlier for a case related to leaking state secrets.
In August, Khan faced a three-year conviction after the Election Commission accused him of not declaring assets from alleged gift sales, rendering him ineligible for future public office.
The recent conviction stems from a case filed by the National Accountability Bureau, alleging Khan violated gift depository rules. Critics question the fairness of the trial, while the PTI claims their Islamabad offices were sealed, hindering election preparations.
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“The right to a fair trial lies at the heart of any civilised society governed by the rule of law. Even those accused of the harshest of crimes must get a fair process. It is blatant that there was no fair process in this case,” she told Al Jazeera.
However, ex-Attorney General Ashtar Ausaf Ali said the PTI’s legal team was given ample opportunity to present its arguments.
“They failed to rebut or impeach the prosecution’s case,” he said.
The PTI say its central offices in Islamabad have been cordoned off and sealed by police.
The party was scheduled to hold a general meeting at the premises in preparation for the upcoming elections.
“Tehreek-e-Insaaf is being prevented from meeting even inside its office. Is it a level playing field?” the party said in a post on X, accompanied by a video showing police outside the building.
