By Mayank Chhaya-
Political fortunes of both former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his Pakistan Tehreek-E-Insaf party or PTI hang in the balance following his conviction on graft charges and subsequent incarceration.
However, his party leaders and lawyers are hopeful of vacating his conviction and releasing him after they filed a petition challenging the verdict in the Islamabad High Court today.
A trial court in Islamabad, which sentenced Khan to three years in prison on August 5, said in its 30-page order, “He cheated while providing information about gifts he obtained from Toshakhana which later proved to be false and inaccurate. His dishonesty has been established beyond doubt.” Toshakhana is the custodian of all state gifts.
Raoof Hasan, the PTI’s information secretary, has cast serious doubts about the order by questioning how it was that a 30-page order was drafted and pronounced in just about half an hour.
The guilty verdict automatically triggers Khan’s disqualification from seeking public office for the next five years. If his sentence is upheld by the Islamabad High Court, the PTI plans to go to the country’s Supreme Court. Behind the scenes though, the party’s core committee is preparing for the eventuality that the former prime minister is not granted relief even by the Supreme Court and looking at life without the charismatic Khan at the helm.
Raoof Hasan spoke to Mayank Chhaya Reports from Islamabad.
