Former leader and wife found guilty of illegally obtaining lucrative plots of land in deal with property tycoon

Pakistan’s former prime minister Imran Khan has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for corruption, another setback for the beleaguered leader who has already spent over 18 months in jail and is facing more than 100 cases.

Khan, who remains the country’s most popular political figure, has maintained that the cases against him are part of a “political witchunt” to keep him out of power. Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) governed from 2018 to 2022 but he was toppled from office after losing the support of the country’s powerful military. He subsequently embarked on a public spat with the army leadership, accusing them of involvement in a plan to assassinate him.

Since his arrest he has faced a mounting number of cases, including murder, terrorism, and breaching national security. Khan was convicted in three cases, including for selling state secrets and illegal marriage, but they were later overturned or suspended last year. However, he has remained in prison.

    • just_an_average_joe@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
      11·
      2 hours ago

      You don’t know what you are talking about. Members of parliament who didn’t vote for no-confidence had their private moments leaked. Which is considered a huge disrespect in pakistan. Others were offered money. So basically the whole carrot and a stick spiel.

      Military had dirt on basically everyone.

      • PugJesus@lemmy.worldEnglish
        44·
        8 hours ago

        Nothing says coup like trying to imprison Imran Khan on bogus charges like his marriage papers being invalid.

        Is that what happened back in 2022? (PROTIP: it is not)

        Maybe the US tried to dissolve the democratically elected legislature to avoid them voting against their interests?

        Oh, wait, that was what Imran Khan tried to do when the vote began.

        “Imran Khan is mistreated by the current government ran by his spiteful opposition” and “America did not pull a coup in Pakistan” are not mutually exclusive positions.

        • IndustryStandard@lemmy.world
          OPEnglish
          32·
          8 hours ago

          In the meeting, according to the document, Lu spoke in forthright terms about Washington’s displeasure with Pakistan’s stance in the conflict. The document quotes Lu saying that “people here and in Europe are quite concerned about why Pakistan is taking such an aggressively neutral position (on Ukraine), if such a position is even possible. It does not seem such a neutral stand to us.” Lu added that he had held internal discussions with the U.S. National Security Council and that “it seems quite clear that this is the Prime Minister’s policy.”

          Lu then bluntly raises the issue of a no-confidence vote: “I think if the no-confidence vote against the Prime Minister succeeds, all will be forgiven in Washington because the Russia visit is being looked at as a decision by the Prime Minister,” Lu said, according to the document. “Otherwise,” he continued, “I think it will be tough going ahead.”

          Lu warned that if the situation wasn’t resolved, Pakistan would be marginalized by its Western allies. “I cannot tell how this will be seen by Europe but I suspect their reaction will be similar,” Lu said, adding that Khan could face “isolation” by Europe and the U.S. should he remain in office.

          • PugJesus@lemmy.worldEnglish
            23·
            8 hours ago

            Is that supposed to reinforce the idea that it was a ‘coup’? A diplomat saying that a prime minister’s diplomatic policy will create diplomatic repercussions?

            lmao