Pakistan's former president Imran Khan has been sentenced to 14 years in prison, a day after he was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Islamabad, Pakistan
CNN
—

of Pakistan Jailed former prime minister Imran Khan has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for corruption, his Pakistan Tehreef-e-Insaf (PTI) party said on Wednesday, the second legal blow to the embattled politician this week.

Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi were convicted by the National Accountability Bureau in a case related to the illegal sale of government gifts during their tenure as Prime Minister from 2018 to 2022.

Khan, who has been in jail since August on multiple charges, has also been barred from holding office for 10 years, PTI reported. Bibi was taken into police custody shortly after the sentencing, the party added.

Wednesday's sentencing comes nearly a week before general elections expected on February 8, and a day after Khan was sentenced to 10 years in prison for leaking state secrets. He will be allowed to serve the sentence concurrently.

Pakistan's upcoming election is seen by many analysts as the most unreliable in the country's nearly 77-year history, due to the military's crackdown on Khan and his aides.

Khan maintains widespread popularity among Pakistan's mostly young voters, who see him as a clean break from the political dynasties or military institutions that have ruled the South Asian nation for much of its independent history.

The former star cricketer-turned-politician rose to office in 2018 on an anti-corruption ticket, but has been embroiled in political controversy since his dramatic ouster in a parliamentary no-confidence vote in April 2022.

The moment set the stage for a month-long standoff between Khan and the powerful army, which he accused of removing him. The army denies Khan's allegations.

Khan, one of the few politicians to challenge Pakistan's military generals, has drawn tens of thousands to nationwide rallies that have become a fixture in Pakistan's volatile political scene, echoing public anger across the country against his tenure.

In response, the military launched a widespread crackdown on Khan and his party members, silencing many, banning them from leaving the country and arresting others on various charges.

The PTI has been banned from using its popular cricket bat symbol on ballot papers and television stations Khan's speeches were banned.

“Another sad day in the history of our judiciary, which is being distorted,” PTI said of Wednesday's sentence, adding that “this ridiculous decision will also be challenged.”

Last August, Khan was sentenced to three years in prison and banned from holding office for five years by the Election Commission of Pakistan in the same case. That sentence was later suspended.

He says the charges against him are politically motivated, a charge authorities deny.

This story has been updated.