Devendra Kumar
Imran Khan, the former prime minister of Pakistan, has appealed against his convictions and sentences in three controversial legal cases. His legal team filed the appeals in the Islamabad High Court and another court on Friday, seeking the suspension of all three convictions and sentences given to Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi. This move comes more than two weeks after Khan was convicted and sentenced following trials at a prison in Rawalpindi. Khan was sentenced to a total of 31 years in prison on charges of corruption, revealing official secrets, and violation of a marriage law. He was sentenced to 10 years for revealing official secrets, 14 years in a corruption case, and seven years for violating a marriage law.
Khan’s party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, has alleged that the February 8 parliamentary elections were rigged, which Khan’s party won, but was unable to secure a simple majority. The party’s claims of election rigging have sparked nationwide protests and street violence, with supporters of Khan’s party attacking military headquarters, storming an air base, and setting fire to a building housing state-run Radio Pakistan. The violence was eventually brought under control when Khan was released by the Supreme Court.
Despite the turmoil, parliamentary elections have taken place, and candidates backed by Khan’s party have won the most seats. However, no party was able to secure a simple majority, and the party of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif is finalizing a powersharing deal to form a coalition government. Khan himself was unable to run for office due to his convictions.
The appeals filed by Khan’s legal team are seen as a last-ditch effort to overturn his convictions and sentences, which could have a significant impact on the country’s political terrain. The outcome of the appeals is uncertain, but any reversal could pave the way for Khan’s return to politics. The timing of the appeals is also noteworthy, coming just as Khan’s party is calling for nationwide protests against alleged vote rigging and the party of Nawaz Sharif is in talks to form a coalition government. As the political terrain of Pakistan continues to unfold, the fate of Imran Khan remains uncertain, hanging precariously in the balance of justice.