ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's Supreme Court accepted on Wednesday a bail application from detained former Prime Minister Imran Khan, his lawyer said, a day after another court declared illegal his trial on charges of leaking state secrets.
The former cricket star is fighting various legal battles in the hope of securing release from jail and leading his party in a campaign for a Feb. 8 general election, which his arch rival, another former prime minister, is hoping to win.
The 71-year-old was jailed on Aug. 5 for three years jail for unlawfully selling state gifts during his tenure as prime minister from 2018 to 2022. His lawyer said the Supreme Court had accepted the bid for bail.
"A decision will come in the next hearing after arguments from both sides," lawyer Naeem Panjutha said in a post of the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.
No date had been set for the hearing, he said, adding that the Supreme Court would seek input from the government on the application.
Khan has been at the centre of protracted political turmoil in nuclear-armed Pakistan that has shone a spotlight on the powerful military's influence over civilian politics.
He was forced from office in 2022 after losing a no-confidence vote in parliament, saying at the time the military was trying to sideline him after he fell out with the generals over top security appointments.
Even though Khan can not run in the February election because of his conviction, his party will face off against the party of Nawaz Sharif, a former prime minister who was ousted in a 1999 coup and forced from power again in 2017 by a court ruling.
Sharif returned home last month from four years of self-exile to help his party retain power.
The political chaos has coincided with Pakistan's most dire economic conditions in decades, raising concern for the future of the country of 241 million people.
Pakistan has a long record of political rivalries being played out in legal battles.
Khan has had dozens of cases filed against him. He dismisses the charges which he says have been cooked up by his enemies, including the military, to keep him out of politics.
The military, which has ruled directly or overseen civilian governments since Pakistan's creation in 1947, denies involvement in Khan's troubles.
In a positive step for Khan, the Islamabad High Court on Tuesday declared illegal his trial on charges relating to an accusation he released a classified cable sent to Islamabad by Pakistan's ambassador in the United States last year.
The court found that the trial, being held in jail for security reasons, did not meet legal requirements, meaning the prosecution would have to restart the case.
Khan has been convicted and jailed in connection with one case of graft but a court suspended the sentence to allow his release on bail. He remains locked up in connection with other cases.
Reuters
Wed Nov 22 2023
Imran Khan is fighting various legal battles in the hope of securing release from jail and leading his party in a campaign for a Feb. 8 general election. - REUTERS/Filepic
Anwar tekan kepentingan sokong pengiktirafan negara Palestin di PBB
Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim menekankan kepentingan menyokong pengiktirafan negara Palestin di Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (PBB) ketika bertemu rakan sejawatnya dari Jordan, Bisher Hani Al-Khasawneh, di luar mesyuarat khas Forum Ekonomi Sedunia (WEF) di Riyadh Arab Saudi pada Ahad.
Muhammad Hakim Danish naik podium di GP Sepanyol
Pelumba muda negara Muhammad Hakim Danish Ramli mempamerkan peningkatan prestasi apabila menamatkan perlumbaan 2 Grand Prix (GP) Sepanyol bagi saingan Rookies Cup di kedudukan podium hari ini.
10 Berita Pilihan - (28 April 2024)
Antara pelbagai berita dalam dan luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
AWANI Ringkas: Inspektor ditahan kerja
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
Ratu cantik Malaysia Harveen Kaur tawan Puncak Mera namun hilang jari akibat luka beku
Puncak Mera yang berketinggian 6,470 meter dari paras laut itu mampu memberi cabaran hebat meskipun kepada pendaki paling berpengalaman.
'Dek Wan' terus menyinar di Maghribi
Dek Wan mempamerkan larian bertenaga dengan mencatat masa 12.52 saat (s) untuk meninggalkan Taha Al Harrasi (12.65s) dari Oman.
Piala Thomas: Malaysia tempah slot ke suku akhir
Malaysia berjaya menempah slot ke suku akhir selepas menewaskan Algeria dengan kemenangan 5-0 dalam saingan Piala Thomas di Chengdu, China sebentar tadi.
Thailand: Enam muka baharu sertai Kabinet Srettha
Perdana Menteri Thailand Srettha Thavisin melantik enam menteri kabinet baharu.
Anwar bertemu PM Jordan, tekan kepentingan sokong pengiktirafan negara Palestin di PBB
Pada pertemuan itu, Perdana Menteri turut menekankan kepentingan memastikan Israel dipertanggungjawabkan terhadap kekejamannya di Palestin.
Lebih ramai atlet dijangka layak ke Paris 2024
Kontinjen Malaysia ke Sukan Olimpik Paris 2024 terus diperkuat dengan empat lagi atlet berjaya mengesahkan slot ke temasya terbesar dunia itu minggu ini, menjadikan sejumlah 10 atlet layak setakat ini
Presiden Iran, Pakistan adakan pertemuan luas kerjasama
Presiden Iran, Ebrahim Raisi mengadakan pertemuan dengan Presiden Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari, di kediaman rasmi Presiden di Islamabad dalam lawatan tiga hari beliau ke negara tersebut pada Isnin.
Hampir 100 maut di Pakistan ekoran hujan lebat dan banjir kilat
Hujan lebat mengakibatkan banjir kilat di Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan dan Wilayah Punjab serta Jammu dan Kashmir.
Pakistan sambut Aidilfitri hari ini, Bangladesh dan India rai Khamis
Umat Islam di Pakistan dan Sri Lanka meraikan Aidilfitri pada Rabu manakala mereka yang berada di Bangladesh dan sebahagian besar India akan menyambut perayaan itu Khamis.
Pakistan kecam serangan Israel ke atas kedutaan Iran di Syria
Pakistan mengecam sekeras-kerasnya serangan Israel ke atas kedutaan Iran di ibu negara Syria, Damsyik pada Isnin menyifatkannya sebagai peningkatan ketegangan di rantau bergolak itu.
PM Pakistan larang penggunaan karpet merah dalam acara rasmi
Larangan penggunaan permaidani merah dalam acara rasmi merupakan satu langkah kecil ke arah mengurangkan perbelanjaan di peringkat kerajaan.
5 pekerja China terbunuh dalam serangan pengganas di Pakistan
Kejadian berlaku apabila sebuah kenderaan dari Projek Hidroelektrik Dasu, yang sedang dibina oleh sebuah syarikat China diserang oleh pengganas.
Ishaq Dar dilantik sebagai Menteri Luar Pakistan
Bekas Menteri Kewangan Ishaq Dar dilantik sebagai Menteri Luar Pakistan yang baharu.
Umat Islam di Bangladesh, India dan Pakistan mula berpuasa pada Selasa
Arab Saudi mengumumkan anak bulan kelihatan pada Ahad dan Isnin merupakan hari pertama Ramadan.
Shehbaz Sharif angkat sumpah Perdana Menteri Pakistan
Shehbaz Sharif mengangkat sumpah sebagai perdana menteri ke-24 Pakistan untuk penggal kedua pada Isnin.
Hujan lebat di Pakistan ragut 29 nyawa, 50 cedera
Sekurang-kurangnya 29 orang terbunuh dan 50 lagi cedera akibat hujan lebat yang melanda Pakistan dalam tempoh 48 jam lepas.