By The South Asia Times

ISLAMABAD -  Pakistan’s former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi were sentenced to 17 years in prison each on Saturday in the Toshakhana‑II corruption case, an accountability court in Adiala Jail ruled.

The court also imposed fines of Rs10 million ($35,000) on each of them.

Special Judge Central Shahrukh Arjumand delivered the verdict after the high‑profile trial, in which Khan and Bushra Bibi were convicted of illegally selling and purchasing state gifts at throwaway prices, charges they have consistently denied as fabricated and politically motivated. 

Since he was ousted from power in April 2022, Khan has faced an extensive array of legal cases — hundreds registered by the government. While exact counts vary, he has publicly stated that he is facing around 150–200 cases.

In August 2023, he was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment in a Toshakhana reference related to state gifts, a sentence later suspended by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) upon appeal. 

In January 2024, Khan and Bushra Bibi were sentenced to 14 years and 7 years respectively in another corruption reference (often described as a £190 million or Al‑Qadir Trust case), a verdict that was also challenged and remains under appeal at the IHC.

Throughout 2023–2025, Khan was convicted in several other cases, including a sentence related to alleged unlawful marriage, though many of those convictions have either been suspended or are under challenge in higher courts.

Khan’s legal team has filed appeals against multiple convictions, with many cases pending before the Islamabad High Court. In some instances, the IHC granted bail or suspended sentences, but the scheduling of hearings has frequently been delayed.

Lawyers for Khan have publicly accused the judiciary’s top judges of not promptly fixing hearings on their appeals, arguing such delays hinder their ability to secure bail. 

In related cases, the Supreme Court of Pakistan has granted post‑arrest bail to Khan in several instances, including in cases arising from the May 9, 2023 riots. 

The mounting convictions and sentences have effectively disqualified Khan from holding public office and kept him in jail through much of 2024–2025.

Supporters and members of his Pakistan Tehreek‑e‑Insaf (PTI) party describe the prosecutions as politically driven efforts to sideline one of Pakistan’s most popular political figures.