According to sources, a Pakistani court may consider taking action against former prime minister Imran Khan on Tuesday for contempt after a speech he gave over the weekend in which he threatened law enforcement and a judicial judge.
Given that a conviction would bar Khan from running for office, the matter could pose a challenge to Khan, who has been advocating for new elections since being forced to resign this year.
“It is a criminal conviction,” a retired judge, Shaiq Usmani, told television channel Geo News, adding that Khan could face six months in jail if convicted. “Due to it, he cannot contest any election for five years.”
After such disqualifications, the South Asian nation has seen at least one prime minister and certain lawmakers removed from office.
In addition to charges under an anti-terror statute, police also charged Khan with contempt of court after they claimed he made a threat in a speech regarding a staff member who is charged with sedition for allegedly stirring up a revolt in the military. the entire story.
“We will not spare you,” Khan said in the speech that named the police chief and the judge involved in the case against the aide. “We will sue you.”
In Pakistan, where Khan’s administration has utilized them against rivals and detractors, anti-terrorism laws are frequently used as the legal justification for prosecutions against political leaders.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Khan’s political party, has denied the allegations against him as politically motivated and claimed they were made to prevent him from organizing protests against the government. the complete tale
Khan, who served as prime minister from 2018 until losing a vote of confidence in parliament in April, was backed by the military, according to political observers, and ran on a conservative platform that was popular with middle-class and religious voters.
However, according to observers, he split with the military over the selection of a spy chief.
The military, which has dominated Pakistan for more than three decades of its 75-year existence, denies any engagement in civil politics, and Khan has denied ever receiving military support.
