A Pakistani high court on Wednesday turned down an appeal by jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan that his conviction on corruption charges be suspended, his lawyer said, suggesting it was unlikely he would be released on bail anytime soon.
Khan’s lawyer Naeem Panjutha said outside Islamabad High Court: “Our request to suspend the conviction wasn’t accepted.”
Khan, 70, has been at the centre of political turmoil since he was ousted last year as Prime Minister in a no-confidence vote, raising concerns about Pakistan’s stability as it grapples with an economic crisis.
He has been barred from holding any public office for five years since he commenced a three-year prison sentence on Saturday on charges of unlawfully selling state gifts acquired by him and his family during his 2018-2022 tenure.
Islamabad High Court on Wednesday sought responses from the federal and Punjab provincial governments to a petition filed by Khan seeking a transfer from Attock to Adiala prison.
On Monday, Khan had moved the high court seeking transfer from Attock Jail to a better class in Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi. The former Prime Minister also sought permission for regular visits by his legal team, family members, physician Faisal Sultan and political aides to the jail in Punjab province.
During the hearing of the petition, Chief Justice Aamer Farooq said he would issue an order granting Khan’s legal team permission to meet the former premier, the Dawn newspaper reported.
On the issue of Khan’s transfer from Attock to Adiala jail, the court sought responses from the federal and Punjab governments and adjourned the hearing till August 11.
US ‘concerned’
The US is watching “with concern” events in Pakistan, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby told a briefing on Wednesday.
Kirby made his remarks after being asked about the situation in Pakistan.
“We’re obviously concerned about any actions, particularly violent actions, that can contribute to instability in Pakistan or frankly any other country with whom we share a set of common interests when it comes to counterterrorism, so we’re watching it with concern,” he said.
