Pakistan
On December 20, 2025, a Pakistani court sentenced former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, to 17 years in prison after convicting them in a graft case involving the illegal retention and sale of state gifts. The couple, who pleaded not guilty, were accused of grossly undervaluing the gifts, including Saudi jewelry, to acquire and sell them improperly. Prosecutors stated the gifts were declared at just over $10,000 versus an actual value of nearly $285,000. Khan’s lawyer announced plans to appeal, citing lack of evidence and procedural fairness, while Khan’s party PTI condemned the verdict, calling it a politically motivated and unjust closed-door trial.
The government defended the ruling as lawful and evidence-based. Despite being imprisoned and ousted from power in 2022 through a no-confidence vote, Khan remains a popular figure in Pakistan. His party performed well in the February 2024 election but did not secure a majority, which it claimed was due to electoral rigging—a claim the government denies. Khan has alleged that his ouster was orchestrated by a U.S.-backed conspiracy involving the military, accusations that have been firmly denied. He has been serving multiple prison sentences since 2023.
