Imran Khan ends reconciliation talks following graft conviction

Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan ended reconciliation talks after receiving a 14-year prison sentence, citing the government's lack of response to his party's demands.

Pakistan’s former prime minister Imran Khan has called off reconciliation talks with the government, a week after receiving a 14-year prison sentence for corruption, his party confirmed on Thursday.

The discussions, initiated last year to ease political tensions, ended after Khan’s seven-day ultimatum to the government expired. His party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), had demanded judicial probes into his 2023 arrest and subsequent protests, including attacks on military sites.

Khan’s removal from office in 2022 has fueled unrest, with PTI-led demonstrations demanding his release. The ongoing instability threatens Pakistan’s economic recovery under a $7 billion IMF bailout.