https://sputnikglobe.com/20230808/goal-of-imran-khans-arrest-to-keep-ex-pakistani-pm-out-of-elections-1112461506.html
Goal of Imran Khan's Arrest to Keep Ex-Pakistani PM 'Out of Elections'
Goal of Imran Khan's Arrest to Keep Ex-Pakistani PM 'Out of Elections'
Sputnik International
Arrest of Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan seeks goal to prevent him from running in elections, journalist Waqas Ahmed told Sputnik.
2023-08-08T14:24+0000
2023-08-08T14:24+0000
2023-08-08T18:14+0000
pakistan
imran khan
shehbaz sharif
tehreek-e-insaf (pti)
asia
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Imran Khan’s arrest on Saturday shows that Pakistani government officials are prepared to go to great lengths to keep the former prime minister "out of elections," journalist Waqas Ahmed told Sputnik.The cricket legend-turned-political leader was arrested after an Islamabad court sentenced him to three years in prison on charges of corrupt practices in the Toshakhana case, with the move clearly being another attempt at political suppression of the ex-PM, the Pakistani journalist argued.The conviction, unless overturned by an appeals court, would disqualify the leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), also called the Pakistan Movement of Justice, the political party founded in 1996 by Imran Khan, from running in a national election for five years.Last October, Pakistan's Election Commission stripped Khan of his parliamentary mandate after finding him guilty of "illegally" selling 52 valuables stored in the Toshakhana - Pakistan's national treasury - and keeping hidden information about gifts he had received personally. According to current Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Imran Khan sold state treasures in Dubai worth a total of 140 million Pakistani rupees ($500,000).Waqas Ahmed took issue with claims that the aforementioned gifts were disposed of “illegally.” According to the rules, gifts received by a government functionary from a leader of another country are deposited in the nation’s treasury. However, if one seeks to retain the abovementioned gifts, this can be done by paying a specific amount of their value, which was 20 percent at the time of Khan’s prime ministership. These rules were revised in December 2018 to require a payment of 50 percent.“What you do after that gift is not written in the law,” underscored the journalist, and the judge in the case against Imran Khan was “obviously biased against him,” and "backed by the military establishment."The sentencing by an Islamabad court came days before incumbent Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's coalition government was expected to dissolve parliament, allowing a caretaker assemblage to organize new elections in Pakistan. Shortly after the court's verdict, Khan's supporters and his legal team questioned the ruling, slamming it as politically motivated and targeting a man who remains the most popular politician in Pakistan.Despite attempts by the Pakistani military and the Pakistani government parties to undermine Imran Khan and his PTI, they have been unable to do so, Waqas Ahmed said. When there was a local election in Peshawar just recently, the PTI won by a huge margin, while this was the same seat that the party lost by 13,000 votes last time. Looking ahead, Waqas Ahmed voiced the opinion that once the date for elections is set in the country, "the people are going to vote. And those votes will go against this regime and against the military."
https://sputnikglobe.com/20230805/ex-pakistani-pm-imran-khan-sentenced-to-3-years-in-jail-over-corruption-1112407513.html
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pakistan, former prime minister, imran khan, arrest and sentencing of imrah khan, corruption charges, elections in pakistan
pakistan, former prime minister, imran khan, arrest and sentencing of imrah khan, corruption charges, elections in pakistan
Goal of Imran Khan's Arrest to Keep Ex-Pakistani PM 'Out of Elections'
14:24 GMT 08.08.2023 (Updated: 18:14 GMT 08.08.2023) Pakistani authorities arrested former Prime Minister Imran Khan on August 5 after a court sentenced him to three years in prison on corruption charges. Khan’s lawyer condemned the court's decision as a "murder of justice," with supporters of the ex-PM perceiving the conviction as political interference ahead of the elections.
Imran Khan’s arrest on Saturday shows that Pakistani government officials are prepared to go to great lengths to keep the former prime minister "out of elections," journalist
Waqas Ahmed told Sputnik.
The cricket legend-turned-political leader was arrested after an Islamabad court sentenced him to three years in prison on charges of corrupt practices in the Toshakhana case, with the move clearly being another attempt at political suppression of the ex-PM, the Pakistani journalist argued.
The conviction, unless overturned by an appeals court, would disqualify the leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), also called the Pakistan Movement of Justice, the political party founded in 1996 by Imran Khan, from running in a national election for five years.
Last October, Pakistan's Election Commission stripped Khan of his parliamentary mandate after finding him guilty of "illegally" selling 52 valuables stored in the Toshakhana - Pakistan's national treasury - and keeping hidden information about gifts he had received personally. According to current Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Imran Khan sold state treasures in Dubai worth a total of 140 million Pakistani rupees ($500,000).
Waqas Ahmed took issue with claims that the aforementioned gifts were disposed of “illegally.” According to the rules, gifts received by a government functionary from a leader of another country are deposited in the nation’s treasury. However, if one seeks to retain the abovementioned gifts, this can be done by paying a specific amount of their value, which was 20 percent at the time of Khan’s prime ministership. These rules were revised in December 2018 to require a payment of 50 percent.
“What you do after that gift is not written in the law,” underscored the journalist, and the judge in the case against Imran Khan was “obviously biased against him,” and "backed by the military establishment."
The sentencing by an Islamabad court came days before incumbent Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's coalition government was expected to dissolve parliament, allowing a caretaker assemblage to organize new elections in Pakistan.
Shortly after the court's verdict, Khan's supporters and his legal team questioned the ruling, slamming it as politically motivated and targeting a man who remains the most popular politician in Pakistan.
"We weren’t even given a chance. We weren’t even allowed to cross [question], to say anything in defense or conduct our arguments. I haven’t seen this kind of injustice before," Barrister Gohar Khan was quoted by the Pakistani press as saying, decrying what had taken place as a "murder of justice."
Despite attempts by the Pakistani military and the Pakistani government parties to undermine Imran Khan and his PTI, they have been unable to do so, Waqas Ahmed said. When there was a local election in Peshawar just recently, the PTI won by a huge margin, while this was the same seat that the party lost by 13,000 votes last time.
"So it's such a myth. That's why [...] despite this massive crackdown [...] despite putting 10,000 people in jail [...] putting him in jail, PTI keeps winning," said the journalist.
Looking ahead, Waqas Ahmed voiced the opinion that once the date for elections is set in the country, "the people are going to vote. And those votes will go against this regime and against the military."
