Pakistan: Imran Khan convicted on dubious charges as election looms

The legal case against him revolves around a a diplomatic cable that allegedly went missing in his possession. He has said publicly that the cable was proof of a conspiracy to topple him in 2022 but he denied having taken it from the country’s foreign affairs ministry.

The legal proceedings were held not in court but in the prison in which he is being held in Rawalpindi in the province of Punjab. Nor were they public, prompting Mr Khan’s lawyers to say they were unconstitutional.

Mr Khan said the trial was a “joke” as his lawyers were not allowed to cross-examine witnesses.

“It was obvious that it was a predetermined decision and verdict, Imran Khan’s legal team was not even given a chance to speak,” said Syed Zulfiqar Bukhari, a former adviser to Mr Khan.

“This was only done in such a rush to convict Imran Khan prior to the upcoming election. The hearings were not done lawfully and we will challenge it in the high court.”

Mr Khan was already in jail over a conviction in a corruption case. That sentence was later suspended but he was kept in prison after the fresh charges were brought against him. The former prime minister said the cases have been brought to prevent him from running in the general election next month.