Pakistan’s Constitutional Court Orders Release of Imran Khan
Constitutional Court Orders Release of Imran Khan in Pakistan
Former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, is set to be released immediately following the decision of Pakistan’s Constitutional Court. The court deemed the arrest of the former leader as illegal. The Pakistan Justice Movement Party (PTI) had lodged an objection against the initial arrest.
Imran Khan’s government had fallen last month with 174 “no” votes in a vote of confidence held in Pakistan’s parliament on April 10th. The day after, Shahbaz Sharif, brother of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, was elected as the new Prime Minister with the support of the absolute majority with 174 votes in the election held in the Parliament on April 11th.
Khan started a march from Lahore to Islamabad on October 28th, 2022, protesting the coalition government’s failure to declare early elections. On November 3rd, 2022, Khan was wounded in both legs when his convoy was fired upon in Wazirabad. One person was killed and 13 people were injured in the attack.
On May 8th, 2022, the Pakistani military described former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s claims that a senior intelligence official was behind his assassination attempt as “irresponsible and unfounded”. Following these accusations, Khan was arrested on May 9th by the decision of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
The release of Imran Khan brings an end to his detention, which had caused much debate and controversy. However, it remains to be seen what the future holds for Khan and his political career.