Imran Khan’s legal professionals say they’re being denied entry to former Pakistan PM

By Reuters: Pakistani former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s legal professionals couldn’t attain him on Sunday after he spent the night time in a jail close to the capital following his arrest the day prior to this on a corruption conviction, a spokesperson mentioned.

Khan was taken by police from his residence within the japanese metropolis of Lahore on Saturday and transferred to the jail simply exterior Islamabad, the place a court docket had convicted him of expenses arising over the sale of state items. The conviction seemingly means the cricket star-turned-politician will probably be disqualified from operating in a nationwide election.

“Attock prison is a ‘No Go’ area for (his) legal team as well as locals in the vicinity,” mentioned Naeem Haider Panjotha, Khan’s spokesperson for authorized affairs, including they have been unable to take him meals or prepare the signing of authorized paperwork.

Pakistan’s data minister referred a request for touch upon Khan’s entry to his legal professionals to provincial authorities in Punjab, the place the jail is positioned. Punjab’s prime data official couldn’t instantly be reached for remark.

It was not clear whether or not Khan would seem in court docket on Monday, after a trial court docket’s shock weekend choice sentencing him to 3 years in jail.

The arrest was the newest in a collection of blows which have weakened Khan’s political standing, after he fell out with Pakistan’s highly effective navy and his celebration splintered.

His Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) celebration mentioned it had filed appeals in larger courts over the choice.

The nationwide response was largely quiet, a distinction to widespread violent clashes that plunged the nation into turmoil after Khan’s several-day arrest in May, regardless of calls by his celebration on Saturday for nationwide peaceable protests.

Thousands of Khan’s aides and supporters have been arrested since May, in response to the inside minister. Many pro-Khan parliamentarians have been additionally arrested and have distanced themselves from Khan, with some resigning from politics.

His arrest got here days earlier than the federal government was anticipated to dissolve parliament, which might usually result in elections by November. But the federal government selected Saturday to make use of the newest census as a part of election process, probably delaying the vote.

Britain’s overseas workplace mentioned on Saturday it was carefully monitoring the state of affairs and supported democratic rules. Pakistan’s authorities denies Khan’s arrest was associated to the election.

Legal specialists say the conviction means Khan would seemingly be disqualified from politics for 5 years.

His vice chairman, former overseas minister, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, has taken the helm of PTI in his absence.