Speaking to the Supreme Court via video link from Adyala jail in Rawalpindi, where he is being held in solitary confinement, Khan alleged that he and his party were subjected to “gross human rights” violations and were being “victimised.”
Despite Khan’s party winning the most seats in the February election, they fell short of a majority, allowing his opponent Shehbaz Sharif to form a government with the support of allied parties.The top court granted Khan permission to appear and plead petitions he had filed against amendments to the country’s anti-graft laws.
The Pakistan Muslim League (N) secured 75 seats, the Pakistan People’s Party came third with 54 seats, and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) has agreed to support them with 17 seats.
Imran Khan’s defense was similar to that of former US President Donald Trump who on several occasions has also claimed that the 2020 US elections were ‘rigged’ and ‘stolen’ by the democrats.
Pakistan court acquits Imran Khan in two cases related to May 9 riots
Earlier today, a Pakistan court acquitted Imran Khan in two cases related to violence that occurred on May 9. The court cited a lack of sufficient evidence against the 71-year-old founder of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. The verdict was delivered by judicial magistrate Umar Shabbir of the district and sessions court of Islamabad, who approved the petition challenging the two cases filed at Shehzad Town police station.
The court stated in its verdict: “Because of insufficient evidence presented by the prosecution, the PTI founder has been acquitted.”
Last year, following Khan’s arrest in an alleged corruption case, his supporters engaged in vandalism targeting public property, including sensitive army installations. This is not the first time Khan has been acquitted in cases connected to the May 9 violence; on May 15, he was also cleared in two other related cases.
Pakistan PM Shehbaz calls some judges ‘black sheep’; accuses them of giving relief to Imran Khan
Earlier, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday had accused some serving judges, whom he referred to as “black sheep,” of allegedly providing relief to Imran Khan in various cases.
“Some black sheep in (the) judiciary are there to save Imran Niazi from 190 billion pounds and other cases. Every day, it is planned how to give him bail in certain cases,” he said.
Shehbaz made these allegations during a general council meeting of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), where his elder brother and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was re-elected as the party’s president.
(With inputs from agencies)