The former prime minister was indicted for allegedly revealing official secrets following his ouster from office in 2022.
Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan’s prison trial has been declared illegal by a court, his lawyer said.
On Tuesday, lawyer Naeem Panjutha posted on social media that an Islamabad court had ruled against the prison trial of Khan, who was indicted last month for revealing state secrets after his ouster from office in 2022.
“The Islamabad High Court has declared serving jail trial illegal,” Panjutha said in an article on X.
The impact of this statement on Khan’s trial is not yet clear, but is expected to be clarified by a court order.
The trial against Khan, accused of making public a classified diplomatic cable, has become a flashpoint in Pakistani politics, where the former leader remains popular and has characterized the accusations against him as an attempt by powerful interests to keep out of power.
The 70-year-old former cricket star was forced out of office by a vote of no confidence in Parliament in April 2022, an effort Khan accuses of being pushed by the United States.
Relations between Washington and Khan had become strained over issues such as the war in Ukraine, but the United States denied any involvement in his removal.
In October, Khan was indicted on security charges that accused him of leaking a diplomatic cable between Washington and Islamabad that Khan said offered evidence of collusion against him.
Since his ouster last year, Khan has faced numerous legal challenges, with charges against him ranging from contempt of court to “terrorism” and blasphemy.
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