Former Pakistani PM Khan denied court-ordered public trial
Former Pakistani Premier Imran Khan, who is in jail, was not brought to court for a trial on Monday because the government said there were threats to his life, his lawyer said.
The Islamabad High Court had recently ruled that conducting Khan's trial within the confines of the jail premises, owing to security reasons, was unlawful. Consequently, the court ordered a restart of the trial in an open court setting. Khan faces charges of leaking state secrets, vehemently denying any involvement in the alleged act.
A prominent figure in cricket turned politician, Khan has been entangled in a web of political and legal disputes since his removal from the position of prime minister. He has remained out of public view since his incarceration for a three-year term in August, a sentence linked to the unlawful sale of state gifts during his tenure in office from 2018 to 2022.
Khan's lawyer, Naeem Panjutha, conveyed via the social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter), that reports from the jail highlighted intelligence and police assessments indicating potential threats to Khan's life. These reports were submitted as reasons for his absence from the court proceedings.
The trial, initiated last month following Khan's indictment on the charges, has been conducted in a special court set up within the prison premises.
The latest developments have led to a halt in the court-ordered transition to a public trial, citing security concerns as the primary factor behind Khan's non-appearance.
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