Imran Khan, Pakistan's former Prime Minister, and his wife Bushra Bibi have lodged appeals against their recent graft convictions. Khan was found guilty by a special graft court of "corruption and corrupt practices," resulting in a 14-year prison sentence for him and a seven-year sentence for his wife. The couple, currently held at a jail in Rawalpindi, face charges they assert are politically driven.
Since his arrest in August 2023, Khan has been convicted four times. While two of these convictions were overturned, the sentences in the other two cases were suspended. Despite these legal battles, Khan has remained a critical voice against Pakistan's powerful military leaders, accusing them of political interference—an assertion the generals firmly deny. His Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party has faced significant obstacles due to a widespread crackdown. Khan himself was barred from participating in last February's elections.
In an unusual move for a detainee, Khan has launched a vigorous campaign from behind bars, vowing to contest his legal battles through the judiciary. His persistent popularity poses a challenge to the current coalition government, which succeeded in keeping PTI from power in the previous year's elections. These political dynamics underscore Khan's influence and the precarious nature of the coalition government.
The legal proceedings surrounding Khan have been fraught with delays. The Islamabad High Court postponed the hearing three times. PTI representatives claim these postponements were intended to pressure Khan into agreeing to political concessions and retreating from the political scene. Meanwhile, Khalid Yousaf Chaudhry, Khan's lawyer, announced that the appeals have been lodged and are awaiting further court processing.
"We have filed appeals today and in the next few days it will go through clerical processes and then it will be fixed for a hearing," Khalid Yousaf Chaudhry stated outside the Islamabad High Court.
Amidst these proceedings, there have been reports suggesting that Khan was approached with the possibility of house arrest at his residence on the outskirts of Islamabad. This development adds another layer of complexity to Khan's legal battles and political maneuvers.
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