Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan given 14-year sentence in second conviction in two days

Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan is currently serving a three-year sentence. Credit: AP

Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan and his wife have been sentenced to 14 years in prison for corruption.

The couple were accused of retaining and selling state gifts when he was in power.

This is the second conviction Khan has been handed in as many days after being given a 10-year sentence for leaking state secrets on Tuesday.

Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, were indicted three weeks ago charged with retaining state gifts including  jewellery and watches from Saudi Arabia’s government, authorities said. They pleaded not guilty.

Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan, right, and Bushra Bibi, in July 2023. Credit: AP

Khan was sentenced without his legal team there.

In a statement, Zulfiqar Bukhari, the chief spokesperson for Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party said Khan's conviction and sentencing was “another sad day in our judicial system history which is being dismantled.”

Khan was ousted from power in a no-confidence vote in Parliament in April 2022.

Despite his convictions and sentencing, he remains popular.

He is currently serving a three-year prison sentence on a corruption conviction and has multiple other legal cases hanging over him.

Pakistan has a history of arresting former prime ministers or sidelining them ahead of elections if they are deemed to pose a challenge to the security establishment.

'I have had one assassination attempt... I am just lucky to be alive,' Imran Khan tells ITV News Global Security Editor Rohit Kachroo

On Tuesday Imran Khan and one of his party deputies was sentenced to 10 years in prison each for revealing official secrets.

In the secrets case, Khan is alleged to have waved a confidential document - a classified cable - at a rally after he was toppled. 

During the speech, Khan claimed the document was proof he was being threatened and that his ouster was a US conspiracy, allegedly executed by the military and the government in Pakistan. Washington and Pakistani officials have denied the claim.

Khan has maintained his innocence and says he didn’t disclose the exact contents of the cable.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know...