Page 9 - Pakistan Link -June 7, 2024

PAKISTAN PAKISTAN LINK - JUNE 7, 2024 - P9
n By Asif Shahzad and Ariba Shahid his rivals led by Prime Minister Shehbaz
Imran Acquitted of Leaking State Secrets Sharif.

ISLAMABAD: A high court in Pakistan Charges, but to Stay in Jail The government, which says Khan
overturned jailed former Prime Minister broke clauses of the state secrets law by
Imran Khan’s conviction on charges of revealing contents of a secret diplomatic
leaking state secrets, his lawyer and his made by Bibi’s former husband, accord- cable, said prosecutors were awaiting
party said on Monday, but Khan will re- ing to Khan’s lawyers. the detailed decision before deciding if
main in prison for now due to a convic- “We will celebrate this victory,” an- they would appeal against the acquittal
tion in another case. other one of his lawyers, Ali Zafar, said in the Supreme Court.
Khan, 71, had been sentenced to in a TV interview, adding that the other “It is a fact that a national security
10 years in prison by a lower court on cases faced by Khan would result in ac- document was used for political pur-
charges of making public a classified ca- quittals too. poses,” government spokesman for legal
ble sent to Islamabad by Pakistan’s am- ‘Huge Victory’ issues Aqeel Malik said in a press con-
bassador in Washington in 2022. He has “It’s a huge political and legal victo- ference after the decision, adding that
been in jail since August last year. ry,” journalist and political analyst Ma- the government would not compromise
He had challenged the conviction in zhar Abbas told Reuters, but cautioned on national security. - Reuters
Islamabad High Court, which said in an that it would be premature to say that AFP adds: The decision by a two-
order on Monday that an “instant appeal Khan would be released anytime soon. member bench at Islamabad High
is allowed”, adding Imran Khan was ac- Khan is also named as an accused in Court was announced by Chief Justice
quitted of the charges. several other cases, including charges of Aamer Farooq, an AFP court reporter
Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Khan’s inciting violence against the state. witnessed.
foreign minister during his tenure from File photo: Former Prime Minister Imran Khan, gestures as he addresses He has been at odds with the coun- “This is the first big case which
2018-2022, was also acquitted of the the media in Lahore try’s powerful military, accusing it of was part of the political victimization
charges, in what is a major victory for targeting him and his party. The military against Imran Khan and Shah Mah-
the jailed leader. his government in 2022 after he visited Khan, a former cricket star, will remain denies this and has called for Khan and mood Qureshi which has been dashed
“Thank God, the sentence is over- Moscow just before Russia’s invasion in prison serving a seven-year sentence his supporters to be tried for attacking to the ground,” Salman Safdar, a lawyer
turned,” a spokesman for legal affairs of Ukraine. Washington and Pakistan’s over another case relating to his mar- state installations during violent protests for Khan’s party, told AFP outside the
from Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf military deny that accusation. riage to his third wife, Bushra Khan, against Khan’s initial arrest last year. court…
party, Naeem Panjutha, said in a post on The state secrets case was one of four also known as Bushra Bibi, which con- Khan and his party, the Pakistan Despite Khan’s recent success in the
the X social media platform shortly after in which Khan was convicted just ahead travened Islamic traditions. Tehreek-e-Insaf, was banned from con- courts, however, his political role hinges
the Islamabad High Court announced of Pakistan’s national election in Febru- A ruling on the couple’s appeal testing the February election, but can- on his relationship with the military, Gi-
its decision. ary. In two other of those cases the sen- against the sentence was postponed last didates backed by the jailed leader still lani added.
Khan has said the classified cable was tences have since been suspended while week and the proceedings transferred won the most seats. They did not have “If he continues his pace of current
proof of a conspiracy by the Pakistan he appeals. to another court after a judge recused the numbers to form a government, confrontation with the military, the
military and US government to topple But despite Monday’s acquittal, himself following an accusation of bias which was instead led by an alliance of chance of a comeback are limited.”

Insaf (PTI) Secretary General Omar Controversial X Post: Omar Ayub Refuses to at persecution of [the] most popular
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-
leader of the country Imran Khan and
Ayub on Wednesday refused to appear our client who is the Secretary Gen-
before the Federal Investigation Agen- Appear before FIA Probe Team eral of his party Pakistan Tehreek-e-
cy (FIA) team in a probe related to the Insaf.” At present, the response said,
controversial X post on the 1971 war. Ayub is busy with the pre-budget con-
Ayub, in the response sent through who was the true traitor, General sultative process as well as appearing
his legal team, said that he could not Yahya Khan or Sheikh Mujibur Rah- in dozens of false cases of terrorism
appear before the body as he was busy man.” registered against him in many areas
with a pre-budget engagement and While Hasan and Gohar reached of the country.
appearing in courts as he was nomi- the office, Ayub told the FIA that he Ayub, providing reasons for his
nated in several terrorism cases. was busy and termed the show-cause non-appearance, asked the agency
The development came after the notice “defamatory” and said that to provide a copy of the Hamoodur
FIA had asked him, along with PTI “unlawful questions” were asked Rehman Commission Report to him
Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan and “without referring to any specific and give reasonable time and warned
Information Secretary Raoof Hasan, query”. the FIA that he would lodge cases in
to appear before the FIA Cyber Crime He added that the notice was ex- the courts as well as raise the issue in
Reporting Center on Wednesday “in tensively publicized on mainstream the parliament.
the interest of justice”. and social media, thereby “causing The development comes after the
The FIA’s cybercrime team started harassment, unwarranted intimida- FIA’s cybercrime team started an in-
an investigation into the post on X tion and injurious propaganda”. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Secretary General Omar Ayub — Face- vestigation into a post on X, formerly
which was attributed to the former The response noted that the book/@Omar Ayub Khan Twitter, which was attributed to the
prime minister Imran Khan. FIA is neither an outfit of histo- former prime minister.
The post read: “Every Pakistani rians nor is above the Supreme Smoke rises after a fire broke out at the Margalla Hills National Park in The agency also sent notices to the
should study the Hamood ur Rahman Court and two high courts whose Islamabad, May 31, 2024 – Photo Reuters/Gibran Peshimam PTI leaders, summoning them before
Commission Report and get to know judges gave the Hamoodur Rehm- an Commission report. “Therefore, this notice is aimed the probe agency. - The News

n By Reuters abad, Kallar Kahar, also saw fire engulf
ISLAMABAD: Authorities in Paki- Pakistan Battles Forest Fires Amidst Heat Wave 25 acres of grassland, the province's
stan battled forest fires in multiple disaster management (PDMA) said,
areas, including the capital Islamabad, adding that the flames, which had
on Friday as the country grappled to douse the fire," a police official in spread rapidly, had been contained.
with heat waves and dry weather. Islamabad, Sohail Khan, told Reuters, "The Kalar Kahar forest fire might
Officials are yet to confirm if the adding that it was not certain if the be a heat-related eruption," PDMA
fires are related to the high tempera- fires were heat-related or cases of ar- spokesman Mazhar Hussain told Re-
tures or due to arson. son. uters.
Parts of Pakistan have seen tem- A spokesman for the Islamabad Forest fires were also seen in Lower
peratures as high as 52.2 degrees cen- police said they were investigating the Dir, 250 km (155 miles) northwest of
tigrade (126 F) over the last week with reasons for the fire and a special team Islamabad, local resident Mohammad
South Asia sweltering in a hotter sum- had been formed for the probe by the Jalil told Reuters by phone, adding
mer this year - a trend scientists say city's police chief. that the flames had begun engulfing
has been worsened by human-driven A member of the Islamabad Wild- hundreds of trees four days ago and
climate change. life Board, Waqar Zakaria, said the were yet to be controlled.
Plumes of smoke could be seen fire could be a case of "willful arson", Pakistan is seen by global orga-
rising from a raging fire in the hills adding that high temperatures have nizations as one of the most vulner-
of Islamabad with temperatures hit- continued longer than usual and May able countries to extreme weather
ting 41 degrees centigrade on Friday has been drier than normal, leading and climate change. In 2022, floods
afternoon. to fires spreading faster because of dry wreaked havoc in the country, kill-
"It is difficult to get a fire brigade vegetation. ing over 1,700 people and displacing
there; rescue officials are trying how An area in Punjab close to Islam- millions. - Reuters
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