A Pakistani court has indicted former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi in a graft case for allegedly receiving land as a bribe during his time in office, Geo News, a Pakistani news channel reported.
Khan is in jail in three separate cases ranging from corruption to breaking Islamic law.
The latest indictment is related to Al-Qadir Trust, which is a non-governmental welfare organisation set up in 2018 by Khan and his wife.
Prosecutors allege that the trust served as a front for Khan to receive a bribe from one of Pakistan’s richest and most powerful businessmen.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e- Insaaf (PTI) condemned the indictment saying that the “trial was conducted behind prison walls, only meant to pave the way for miscarriage of justice”.
In January, a Pakistani court had sentenced Khan and his wife to 14 years in jail in the Toshakhana case, where both were accused of illegally selling state gifts.
The anti-corruption watchdog had alleged that Khan and his wife had received 108 gifts from heads of state and foreign officials, some worth millions of rupees, during his term as prime minister and that many had been illegally kept or sold by the pair.
Initially he was sentenced to three-years in jail, which was turned down by a higher court. Investigators presented fresh evidence after Khan was given a clean chit.
Khan’s party-backed independent candidates have won the largest number of seats in the national assembly despite the party not being allowed to contest the polls on the election symbol. However, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) have agreed on a power-sharing deal to form a new coalition government.
The newly elected members of Parliament are likely to meet on February 29 to choose a new prime minister. Shehbaz Sharif is the front runner for the PM post, while Zardari is likely to become the president.
