The Islamabad High Court in Pakistan has declared the jail trial of former Prime Minister Imran Khan
as illegal, according to his lawyers, in a decision that may have far-reaching implications on Pakistani politics.
On Nov. 21, Khan’s lawyer Naeem Panjutha said on social media that the court had ruled against the in-jail trial of Khan, who is facing charges of leaking state secrets.
Al Jazeera reported that it was not yet clear what the court ruling could mean for the ongoing trial, but it is “
expected to be clarified by a court order” once it’s out.
It’s a partial victory for Khan, who became Pakistan’s prime minister in 2018 until he was ousted from office by a
no-confidence vote in Parliament in 2022. He was also barred from holding any position in the National Assembly, the lower house of Islamabad’s parliament, and is currently embroiled in at least 150 cases.
Khan described the charges against him as a political ploy to silence him and prevent him from returning to power. His fall – while shocking for some – does have some historical precedent.
His case reflects the extent of power wielded by the Pakistan Army, which has been the de facto rulers of the country for almost half its history. Short of a coup, the generals have jealously guarded their control over the government by
playing kingmaker – including when it supported Khan’s run for prime minister in 2018 – only to withdraw its support years later.
To this day, no elected leader in Pakistan
has ever completed a full term, while all past five prime ministers have faced convictions or imprisonment, usually after falling from the graces of
Pakistan’s generals. Meanwhile, the military has been
accused of perpetrating human rights violations, including the arrests, enforced disappearances, torture and even killings of activists, journalists and religious minorities.
Khan’s case, however, could test the military’s hold on power. Recent surveys show that the former cricket player
remains a widely popular figure despite his ouster, with more than half of Pakistanis holding the incumbent government led by the Pakistan Democratic Movement as responsible for the current economic crisis besetting the country.