ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s former prime minister Imran Khan filed a bail application in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Saturday in a case registered under the Official Secrets Act of 1923 in which he has been accused of divulging the contents of a confidential diplomatic cable for political purposes.
The development follows the decision of a special court conducting his prison trial in the matter which turned down his bail petition on Thursday. Khan has been in District Jail, Attock, since he was arrested from his residence in Lahore in corruption case last month.
The former prime minister mentioned the diplomatic dispatch from a country’s former envoy to Washington for the first time at a rally in Islamabad right before his ouster in a no-confidence vote in April of last year, telling his party supporters it proved a US conspiracy to topple his administration.
While the US denied being involved in any such conspiracy, Pakistani authorities accused Khan of compromising the state’s secret communication system with its diplomatic missions abroad and set up the special court to hold his trial.
According to Dawn newspaper, the ex-premier petition has asked the court to grant him post-arrest bail until the final disposal of the case.
“Never before, history has witnessed the ‘arrest’ and ‘prosecution’ of a former prime minister and a former foreign minister under this law,” the newspaper shared the content of the bail application that also made a reference to Khan’s close aide and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi who is also facing allegation in the cipher case.
“The petitioner’s primary concern was to prevent foreign interference in domestic political affairs,” it added.
The bail application described Khan as “one of the few honest and dignified statesmen” of the country, saying the sole objective of the case was “political victimisation and score-settling.”
The document also maintained the ex-PM had become a threat for the “well-established political forces” of Pakistan during to his growing popularity with the masses.
While the special court had extended Khan’s judicial remand until September 26 during its last hearing, the IHC accepted his petition which will be heard by Chief Justice Amir Farooq on Monday.
Ex-PM Khan approaches Islamabad High Court for bail in case related to secret diplomatic cable
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Ex-PM Khan approaches Islamabad High Court for bail in case related to secret diplomatic cable
- The ex-premier’s legal team says Khan’s popularity was threatening ‘well-established political forces’ in Pakistan
- Islamabad High Court has accepted his bail petition which will be taken up for hearing by its top judge on Monday
Pakistan business body writes to PM seeking ‘clear roadmap’ to spur investment
- Business confidence in Pakistan has fallen sharply amid rising inflation, high energy costs and unpredictable tax environment
- In a letter written to PM Shehbaz Sharif, the Pakistan Business Forum president highlights challenges facing the business community
KARACHI: The Pakistan Business Forum (PBF), a representative body of traders and businesspersons in the country, on Monday urged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s intervention in outlining a “clear economic roadmap” to promote long-term investment in Pakistan.
Business confidence in Pakistan has fallen sharply amid rising inflation, high energy costs and an unpredictable tax environment. Currency volatility and slowing demand have prompted many firms to delay investments and scale back expansion plans.
In a letter to PM Sharif, PBF President Khawaja Mehboob-ur-Rehman highlighted the challenges facing the business community, including high input costs, soaring energy tariffs and an increasingly “uncompetitive” tax regime that weakens exports.
“Looking ahead to 2026, the Pakistan Business Forum urged the prime minister to provide the business community with a clear, credible, and forward-looking economic roadmap,” read a PBF statement.
“Such clarity... is essential to restore confidence, encourage investment, and enable long-term planning by businesses.”
The South Asian country of more than 241 million people is currently navigating a tricky path to economic recovery under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) program since averting a default in 2023.
Besides introducing structural reforms relating to expansion of the country’s tax base and privatization of loss-making entities, the government of PM Sharif says it is taking various measures to boost foreign investment and trade.
The PBF highlighted the business community is ready to play its role in competing with regional markets, if provided with the “necessary competitive tools.” It outlined critical reforms relating to regionally competitive electricity tariffs and corporate tax rates.
An increase in electricity tariffs would put further strain on industries and could lead to widespread downsizing and the closure of industrial units, according to the PBF.
It urged the government to include business representatives in the policymaking process to ensure it understands “on-ground realities.”
