Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

International News

Anti-terror court granted bail to former Pakistani PM Khan

#Antiterror #court #granted #bail #Pakistani #Khan

Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday accused the government of attempting to obtain a “technical knockout” on him after he was granted bail on charges filed under the country’s counter-terrorism law.

Khan’s court appearance is the latest turning point in a months-long political infighting that began when he was ousted by a vote of no confidence in the National Assembly in April.

However, the former cricket star continues to enjoy widespread support, holding mass rallies condemning Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government and scoring victories in the recent provincial assembly by-elections.

A court ruling was not immediately available, but officials from Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party said he was granted “provisional bail” until September 1.

The latest allegations against Khan come from a weekend rally when he criticized a judge responsible for keeping a PTI officer in police custody after party leaders said he was “tortured”.

Outside the court, Khan repeated his criticism of the judge, saying the government was afraid of his popularity.

“Because of that fear, they are looking for technical knockouts. They make fun of the country just to save themselves,” he said.

The political crisis comes as officials struggle to cope with record-high monsoon rains that have inundated large parts of the country.

Figures from the national disaster agency on Thursday showed that the floods had killed 903 people since June and forced more than 180,000 to flee their rural homes.

The economy is also in freefall, with the country at risk of defaulting on foreign loans unless the International Monetary Fund approves the resumption of a $6 billion bailout next week, as expected.

Khan and other senior party officials have faced a range of charges since their impeachment.

– Political History –

The country has a long history of rulers using the police and courts to repress their political opponents, and Prime Minister Sharif has filed multiple pending cases against him while in opposition.

A senior PTI official, Shahbaz Gill, has been in detention for nearly two weeks after he was arrested after a TV interview in which he urged army officers to disobey orders that run counter to the country’s interests.

Khan said Gill was tortured and sexually abused in custody and vowed to take action against those responsible.

“These include the inspector general, the deputy inspector general of police and a judge who sent him into custody even though he knew he was being tortured,” he said.

Khan said the government had turned the country into a “banana republic”.

“There is no law here and charges can be brought against anyone,” he said.

Khan’s main goal is early parliamentary elections – the next ones must be held before October next year – but the government has shown no signs of going to the polls.

“I think if elections aren’t called soon, Imran Khan’s popularity will continue to grow, so he shouldn’t worry,” said Talat Masood, a former general turned political analyst.

“These massive demonstrations show that Imran Khan has the support of millions of supporters, but it also shows that the public has no interest in parliamentary democracy,” he said.

Khan came to power in 2018 thanks to an electorate weary of the dynastic politics of the country’s two main parties and vowing to eradicate decades of entrenched corruption and nepotism.

But under his rule, the country’s economy faltered and the IMF suspended the lending program that the new government has only just gotten back on track.

Khan also lost the support of the powerful military.

Still, analyst Masood said he doubted the former prime minister would be jailed on any of the charges he faces.

“The courts could fine him, but going harder would be counterproductive,” he said.

Social Tags:
#Antiterror #court #granted #bail #Pakistani #Khan

You May Also Like

Business

State would join dozens of others in enacting legislation based on federal government’s landmark whistleblower statute, the False Claims Act

press release

With a deep understanding of the latest tech, Erbo helps businesses flourish in a digital world.

press release

#Automotive #Carbon #Canister #Market #Projected #Hit #USD New York, US, Oct. 24, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —  According to a comprehensive research report by Market...

press release

Barrington Research Analyst James C.Goss reiterated an Outperform rating on shares of IMAX Corp IMAX with a Price target of $20. As theaters...