Pakistan Supreme Court Releases Ex-PM Imran Khan on Bail
In a noteworthy development, the Supreme Court of Pakistan has approved bail for former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his associate Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the cypher case, which involves the alleged disclosure of state secrets.
The Supreme Court grants bail to Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi
The court, led by Justice Sardar Tariq Masood, has instructed leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party to furnish surety bonds amounting to Rs 1 million each.
Surety Bonds and Case Background
The court ordered Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi to provide surety bonds of one million rupees each in order for the bail to be approved. The prosecution centres on claims that Khan and Qureshi improperly handled a diplomatic paper that the Pakistani embassy received last year, infringing on the nation's secret laws.
Khan to Remain in Jail for the Toshakhana Corruption Case
Imran Khan's conviction in the Toshakhana corruption case means that he will stay behind bars even though bail in the cypher case was approved. According to the charge sheet of the Federal Investigation Agency, the diplomatic document that purportedly contained a threat from the US to remove Khan from his position as prime minister was not returned.
Case Proceedings and Cypher Trial
After Khan and Qureshi were accused a second time on December 13, the cypher case trial was reopened in the Adiala district jail. Last Monday, the trial was restarted by the Special Court (Official Secrets Act). The government's notice of a jail trial was declared "erroneous" by the Islamabad High Court, which also cancelled the proceedings.
Ongoing legal challenges
After being removed from office in April 2022 by a vote of no-confidence, Imran Khan is facing numerous legal battles, as more than 150 charges have been filed against him since then. The controversy surrounding the cypher issue has been fueled by the PTI's persistent claim that the diplomatic letter contained a threat from the US to remove Khan from his position as prime minister.
The legal landscape for Imran Khan continues to evolve, with ongoing developments in various cases against him.
