Jailed Pakistan's ex-PM Imran Khan, wife indicted on graft charges
A Pakistani court on Tuesday indicted former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi for allegedly accepting land as a bribe during his time in office. The latest charges follow a string of convictions against Khan in the months leading up to the February 8 national elections. Khan, 71, has been in jail since August in connection with other cases. Tuesday's trials were held inside the prison premises, where the couple pleaded not guilty to the indictment charges.
Why does this story matter?
Khan's party the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has alleged the Pakistan government of targeting Khan. Notably, the PTI was barred from contesting the recently-held general elections. Its election symbol—a cricket bat—was also taken away. Despite this, the independent candidates linked to the PTI secured the most number of seats in the parliament. However, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) formed an alliance to establish a minority coalition government in the country.
Military versus Khan
The powerful military, which plays an outsized role in making or breaking governments in South Asian nation of 241 million people, fell out with Khan before he was ousted in a parliament vote of confidence in April 2022. Khan has alleged that generals backed his ouster to bring his opponents to power, a charge the army and the opposition deny.
Graft case related to Khan's Al-Qadir Trust
The latest indictment is related to Al-Qadir Trust, a non-governmental welfare organization set up by Khan and Bushra Bibi in 2018 when he was still in office. Prosecutors claim the trust was a front for Khan to receive 60 acres of land outside Islamabad and another large piece of land near his hilltop mansion in the capital as a bribe from real estate developer Malik Riaz Hussain, one of Pakistan's most powerful businessmen. Hussain has denied any wrongdoing.
PTI condemns the indictment
The PTI has condemned the indictment. "Trials conducted behind prison walls (are) only meant to pave the way for miscarriage of justice," it said in a statement, terming them politically motivated cases to keep Khan behind bars. The PTI party had earlier also rejected the election results, alleging widespread fraud.
