A Trump ally has called on Pakistan to release the former prime minister from prison, inspiring fervent hope among his supporters.

The anti-graft court convened in the jail where Khan is being held near the capital Islamabad, and convicted the couple for graft linked to a welfare foundation they established together called the Al-Qadir Trust.

Former prime minister Imran Khan, who was sentenced to 14 years for graft on Friday, may be locked away in jail but he remains Pakistan's dominant political personality. The 72-year-old's sentencing on Friday is among his biggest setbacks since he was first jailed in August 2023.