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The
70-year-old former cricket hero had filed an appeal in the
Islamabad High Court, seeking to suspend his three year sentence
on corruption charges handed to him earlier this month, saying
he was convicted without being given a right to defense.
"Judgement is reserved," his lawyer Naeem Panjutha said in a
post on messaging platform X, formerly known as Twitter about
the graft case, adding that the court will announce the ruling
on Tuesday.
The sedition case was registered in the southwestern city of
Quetta in March, the capital of Balochistan province, based on
an allegation that one of Khan's speeches was seditious.
Balochistan High Court said on Monday prosecutors had failed to
obtain the required consent from the federal or provincial
government to lodge sedition charges.
The charges are "without lawful authority and are of no legal
effect," the court ruled, throwing out the case.
"God be praised," Panjutha said in a jubilant post on X platform
about the ruling on sedition case, which was among dozens of
cases brought against Khan after he lost a parliamentary
confidence vote in April 2022.
Khan lost power after falling out with Pakistan's influential
military, and his attempts to rally popular support have stirred
political turmoil in a country already struggling through one of
its worst economic crises.
A general election was expected in November, though it is likely
to be delayed until at least early next year.
Khan cannot run and has been barred from holding political
office for five years.
Aside from the graft and sedition cases, Khan is also facing
charges ranging from terrorism and encouraging assaults on state
institutions - after his supporters attacked military and
government installations in May - as well as abetment to murder
following the slaying of a Supreme Court lawyer in June.
(Reporting by Asif Shahzad; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)
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