The main opposition leader of the country was sentenced just before the general elections set for February 8. The decision was criticized by Syed Zulfiqar Bukhari, a representative from Khan’s party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). He told reporters that the trial wasn’t conducted properly.
Bukhari explained that the lawyers representing Imran Khan, the leader of PTI, were not allowed to participate fully in the court proceedings. They couldn’t even question the witnesses. According to him, what happened in the court was just for show.
This is the second time Khan has been convicted in less than a year. Previously, in August, he received a three-year sentence in a corruption case, which stopped him from running in the elections.
The PTI has faced significant challenges recently. Many of its key figures have left, and a large number of its members and supporters have been put in jail. The party also lost its unique election symbol, a cricket bat, and is now having to run its candidates as independents.
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Despite these setbacks, Bukhari believes the recent sentencing will actually help the party. He said that this action, coming so close to the election, will energize their supporters and encourage them to vote in larger numbers.
Political analyst Benazir Shah mentioned that the court proceedings against Khan seemed biased from the start. The state seemed more focused on stopping Khan from gaining power than conducting a fair investigation. She found it concerning that the trial was kept secret, blocking journalists from reporting on it, even though it was supposed to be open to the public.
Abdul Moiz Jaferii, a lawyer, commented on the nature of the sentence. He said that for the charges to stick, it must be proven that Khan intentionally leaked state secrets to an enemy, knowing it would harm the country. Jaferii is curious about how the court will prove this and who the supposed enemy is.
