Pakistan: Imran Khan Gets Bail, But to Remain in Jail

Despite the Supreme Court of Pakistan granting bail to Imran Khan in the cipher case, his path to freedom remains challenging due to his continued incarceration in two other corruption references and approximately 150 additional cases filed at police stations nationwide.

In contrast, Shah Mehmood Qureshi appears set for a swift return to the political arena after securing bail.

Furthermore, the Supreme Court’s decision supersedes the Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) earlier directive for the special court to conclude the cipher case trial within four weeks, potentially slowing down the trial’s progress.

On October 27, IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq dismissed Imran Khan’s petitions for acquittal and bail in the cipher case. Subsequently, Mr. Qureshi and his counsel challenged this dismissal.

Arrested since August 20 in the cipher case, Mr. Qureshi also faced nine FIRs for alleged involvement in violent protests.

In September, the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) of Islamabad dismissed his bail plea in two FIRs registered with Police Station Khanna. The ATC judge later granted bail to Mr. Qureshi in both FIRs, with his legal team awaiting a certified copy of the Supreme Court’s judgment to deposit surety bonds.

Political analysts speculate that Mr. Qureshi’s release could bring about a shift in PTI’s leadership dynamics, potentially making the outgoing chairman, Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, irrelevant.

Meanwhile, former premier Imran Khan faces challenges with his ongoing arrest in two NAB references – Toshakhana and £190 million corruption.

NAB Chairman Nazir Ahmed Butt has issued arrest warrants for Mr. Khan in both cases, pending before Islamabad’s accountability court. The court is set to hear bail pleas on December 23 and December 27, 2023.

An NAB prosecutor indicated that the accountability court might take at least a month to decide on the bail plea in one case. Moreover, the dismissal of bail can be challenged before the IHC, adding another month to the process.

Under the National Accountability Ordinance, the accountability court could not entertain the bail plea, but an amendment empowered the accountability judge with bail-granting power.

PTI’s spokesperson Shoaib Shaheen expresses hope for Mr. Khan’s release before the upcoming general elections, suggesting that Judge Bashir could grant bail, enabling him to lead the PTI’s election campaign.

However, if the accountability court dismisses the bail plea, obtaining bail before the elections from the IHC or the Supreme Court may be unlikely due to time constraints.

The spokesperson contends that the £190m settlement case lacks substance, and in the Toshakhana case, NAB did not accuse those responsible for determining the price.

Regarding the 150 other cases registered against Mr. Khan, legal experts suggest that arrest is unlikely, as he is already on bail in most of them. Among these cases, 46 are registered with the Islamabad Police, according to a senior official, with Mr. Khan’s arrest being improbable due to existing bail arrangements.