By – Shubhendra Singh Rajawat
This was the third negative decision against the embattled former prime minister this week.
A court in Pakistan sentenced former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Khan to seven years in prison and a fine on Saturday after ruling that their 2018 marriage breached the law, according to Khan’s party.
It was the third adverse verdict this week against the embattled former prime minister, and it comes ahead of national elections on Thursday in which he is forbidden from running.
The 71-year-old Khan was recently sentenced to ten years in prison for leaking state secrets and fourteen years in prison for illegally selling state goods alongside his wife.
ARY News stated that the two were each fined 500,000 rupees ($1,800).
Bushra was accused of failing to complete the Islam-mandated waiting time known as “Iddat” after divorcing her previous spouse and marrying Khan.
The Khans signed their marriage contract, known as a “Nikkah,” in a secret ceremony in January 2018, seven months before the charismatic former cricket superstar was elected Prime Minister for the first time.
The Khans denied any wrongdoing.
There was debate regarding whether they had married before the period was over. Following early denials of the January marriage, Khan’s party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), confirmed it some weeks later.
Khan is imprisoned in Rawalpindi, while his wife is serving her term at their hilltop estate in Islamabad.
He already faces a 10-year ban from holding public office. It wasn’t immediately clear if the sentences will run concurrently or consecutively.