Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s trial over accusations of illegally selling state gifts has been temporarily halted by a Pakistan high court on Friday, according to his lawyer. This legal case poses a potential threat to Khan’s political career, and a guilty verdict could lead to his exclusion from the national elections scheduled for November.
The high court’s decision came after it directed a trial court to investigate whether the legal complaint filed by the country’s election commission, as part of its inquiry against Khan, constituted a criminal proceeding. Khan’s legal team had challenged the commission’s complaint, asserting it was not a criminal case and citing bias from the judge presiding over the trial.
Although the high court rejected Khan’s appeal to have the trial court judge removed from the case, the trial remains on hold, and its duration is expected to be brief.
The trial centers on an election commission inquiry that found Khan guilty of unlawfully selling state gifts during his tenure as prime minister from 2018 to 2022. However, Khan has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
The allegations claim that Khan misused his position to buy and sell gifts received during official visits abroad, totaling more than 140 million Pakistani rupees ($635,000). Among these gifts were watches presented by a royal family, with government officials alleging that Khan’s aides sold them in Dubai.
Imran Khan’s premiership ended when he faced a no-confidence vote last year, which he attributes to the involvement of the country’s powerful military. However, the military denies any role in the matter. Khan’s criticism of the military has heightened political tensions, and his brief arrest in May on corruption charges sparked violent protests in Pakistan.
