Beneath the surface: Legal questions in Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi’s conviction

Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, have been convicted in a high-profile corruption case. An accountability court sentenced Khan to 14 years in prison and Bushra Bibi to 7 years, raising concerns about the legal foundations of the case.

In his latest vlog, Kamran Khan analyzed the conviction, highlighting glaring gaps in evidence. He referred to a 2019 settlement by the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) with Bahria Town’s owner, Malik Riaz Hussain, and his family. The settlement involved £190 million in unaccounted wealth but was not linked to any criminal wrongdoing.

"The NCA classified this as a civil settlement, not a criminal case," Kamran said. "How did it transform into a corruption case in Pakistan?"

The case revolves around a land donation by Bahria Town to Al-Qadir University, which prosecutors claim was part of a secret deal. However, the defense argues there’s no evidence of personal gain by Imran Khan or his wife.

PTI has announced plans to challenge the ruling, questioning whether the judgment was influenced by political pressure. The Islamabad High Court had previously noted inconsistencies in NAB’s case, including the lack of documentary proof.

Observers also point to the judge who delivered the verdict. Judge Nasir Javed Rana’s judicial powers were revoked in 2004 due to alleged misconduct but later restored. His verdict acknowledged gaps in prosecution evidence, terming such lapses "common in white-collar crime cases."