Islamabad court bars former Pak PM Imran Khan, his wife from criticising state institutions: Report
By Team Asianet Newsable | First Published Apr 26, 2024, 10:59 AM ISTThe court stressed that such statements disrupt judicial decorum and hinder the dispensation of justice. It directed the prosecution, the accused, and their defense lawyers to abstain from making political or inflammatory statements that could undermine the court's proceedings.
In a recent development, a court in Islamabad reportedly issued a ruling prohibiting former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, from making public statements that criticise or defame state institutions and officials. The decision came during the hearing of a petition seeking a fair trial for Khan and Bibi.
According to reports, Judge Basir Javed Rana ordered the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and his spouse to refrain from speaking against state institutions, including the army, judiciary, and the army chief, during court proceedings. Additionally, the media was instructed to avoid publishing politically provocative statements targeting state institutions and their officials.
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The court stressed that such statements disrupt judicial decorum and hinder the dispensation of justice. It directed the prosecution, the accused, and their defense lawyers to abstain from making political or inflammatory statements that could undermine the court's proceedings.
The ruling follows recent remarks by Imran Khan accusing the country's Army Chief General Asim Munir of being directly responsible for his wife's imprisonment. Khan's statement raised tensions, prompting the court to intervene and impose restrictions on public statements related to state institutions.
Imran Khan, who served as Prime Minister from 2018 to 2022, is currently facing imprisonment in multiple cases, including a 14-year sentence for him and his wife for the unlawful sale of state gifts.
Khan's legal troubles began with a three-year prison sentence in August 2023 by the Election Commission for failing to declare assets earned from selling gifts received during his premiership. Subsequently, in January, both Khan and Bushra Bibi were handed 14-year jail terms following a separate investigation into the same charges involving state gifts.
Bushra Bibi, 49, has also been convicted in a corruption case and for an illegal marriage with the former PM. Presently, she is detained at their Bani Gala residence in the suburbs of Islamabad.
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