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In a recent development, former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s conviction on corruption charges has been suspended by a Pakistani court, as confirmed by his lawyer Naeem Panjutha. However, this suspension will not lead to his immediate release, as another judge has ordered his detention in a different case.
The 70-year-old ex-cricket star has been a central figure in the political upheaval of the crisis-ridden nuclear-armed nation since his removal through a parliamentary vote of confidence in April 2022. His relations with Pakistan’s influential military leadership have significantly deteriorated over the past year. Following his conviction, Khan was incarcerated on August 5 for a three-year jail term due to his alleged involvement in the unauthorized sale of state gifts during his tenure as prime minister from 2018 to 2022. Consequently, the Election Commission of Pakistan disqualified Khan from participating in elections for a period of five years, a move with significant implications given the upcoming national election.
Naeem Panjutha shared the news of the suspension of Khan’s sentence on the messaging platform X (formerly Twitter), expressing gratitude by saying, “God be praised.” Khan’s legal team had lodged an appeal on the grounds that he was denied the opportunity to defend himself during the trial.
Shoaib Shaheen, another member of Khan’s legal team, informed reporters outside the court that the court had also granted bail to Khan. However, Khan’s detention will continue as he faces charges of leaking state secrets in a separate case.
An undisclosed order dated after the suspension was issued by a special court in Islamabad, directing prison authorities to maintain Khan’s judicial custody and present him before the court on the following Wednesday. This latest turn of events adds another layer of complexity to the ongoing legal proceedings and the political landscape surrounding Imran Khan.