8-8-2023 (ISLAMABAD) Imran Khan, the former Prime Minister of Pakistan who is currently serving a three-year sentence on corruption charges, has lodged an appeal against his conviction, according to his lawyer. The ruling, which has been widely discussed by analysts, is expected to exacerbate the country’s political instability.
Naeem Panjutha, Khan’s legal representative, confirmed that the appeal challenging the conviction was submitted to the Islamabad High Court over the weekend. The court is set to review the case on Wednesday.
The 70-year-old Khan was imprisoned on allegations of unlawfully selling state gifts during his tenure as Prime Minister from 2018 to 2022. Since his removal from office through a vote of no confidence last year, Khan has remained a central figure in Pakistan’s political landscape, sparking concerns about the nation’s stability as it grapples with an ongoing economic crisis.
In June, Pakistan reached a $3 billion agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which has urged the country’s political parties to establish a consensus on policy objectives before the upcoming general elections scheduled for November.
Khan, feeling “aggrieved and dissatisfied,” has petitioned the high court to overturn the trial court’s verdict that found him guilty and sentenced him. A copy of the petition, shared by Panjutha on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), outlined Khan’s plea for the high court to intervene.
Khan’s legal team has raised concerns about his detention conditions, claiming that the former cricketer is being held in a cramped C-class cell in a prison near Islamabad, named Attock. They argue that Khan should be entitled to a B-class cell, which offers additional amenities such as an attached washroom, access to newspapers, books, and a television.
Responding to these claims, Rana Sanaullah, the Interior Minister who himself spent several months in jail on drug-trafficking charges he believes were fabricated during Khan’s premiership, defended the prison facilities. Sanaullah stated that all the jails have open washrooms and lack separate facilities, emphasizing that Khan was aware of this fact because the cells in which he and others were held were the same.
Sanaullah suggested that Khan could file an application with the court to request segregation from ordinary inmates. He further noted that any decision made by the court would be implemented accordingly, and if Khan wished to have meals from home, he would need to seek permission from the court.
In summary, Imran Khan has launched an appeal against his conviction and three-year sentence on corruption charges. This development is expected to contribute to the prevailing political instability in Pakistan. The Islamabad High Court will review the case on Wednesday. Khan’s legal team has also raised concerns about his detention conditions, while the Interior Minister has defended the prison facilities and suggested that Khan could seek court permission for specific requests.
