The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has granted permission for the resumption of hearings that were suspended in December of the previous year in the case involving former Pakistan Prime Minister and opposition Movement for Justice (PTI) party leader, Imran Khan, accused of violating the Official Secrets Act.
As reported by The Express Tribune, the court has ordered the nullification of all testimonies obtained in the case before the Special Court, which was hearing charges of violating state secrets until December 14. Furthermore, the court has mandated the re-examination of the witnesses.
This isn't the first instance of the IHC intervening in proceedings against Imran Khan. The court had previously acted against the closed-door trial held in Adiala Jail, directing that future hearings be conducted publicly in the presence of journalists and relatives of Khan and former Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who is also accused of state secrets violation.
However, on December 14, the Special Court accepted a petition from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to continue the closed trial citing security concerns and the special nature of the charges. Subsequently, the IHC issued orders to suspend the trial, nullify the testimonies received until that date, and re-examine the witnesses.
The conflicting stances of the IHC and the Special Court add complexity to the already intricate cases of Khan and Qureshi. Despite the Supreme Court of Pakistan ordering their release on bail last month, both individuals remain in custody, as per local media reports. In Pakistan, those found guilty of violating state secrets face severe penalties, including long prison sentences or the death penalty. Both Khan and Qureshi maintain their innocence.
The investigation into the former prime minister commenced after he publicly claimed to have received an encrypted telegram from Pakistan's ambassador to Washington on March 27, 2022. According to Khan, the telegram revealed a conversation between the head of the embassy and US representatives who purportedly "recommended that the prime minister be removed from power due to his pro-Russian stance on Ukraine, which he demonstrated during his visit to Moscow in February 2022."
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: official website of the President of the Russian Federation
Based on materials from TASS