Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan was banned Friday from running for any political office for five years, his lawyer said, after the country’s election commission ruled he misled officials over gifts he received while in power.
“The Election Commission of Pakistan has announced that Imran Khan has been involved in corrupt practices,” said lawyer, Gauhar Khan.
He added, “We will appeal that before the Islamabad High Court at the present time.”
Reuters quoted local media as saying that the Election Commission of Pakistan “has deprived former Prime Minister Imran Khan of holding public office on charges of illegally selling government gifts received from other heads of state and foreign dignitaries.”
In August, a Pakistani court prevented police from arresting Khan, but he could face a “life sentence” if convicted on terrorism charges.
The former Pakistani prime minister accused of violating the anti-terrorism law was released on bail, according to “AFP”, quoting an official in his party.
This came after the government of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, last August, leveled accusations of terrorism against Khan, which led to an escalation of political tension, and attracted national condemnation from the “Insaf Movement” party led by Imran Khan, according to the agency.
The appearance of the former prime minister in court is the latest chapter in the political disputes that have been going on for months and began in April, when the former cricket star was ousted after the National Assembly voted no confidence in his government, according to “AFP”.
Imran Khan was accused of making verbal threats to police and a judge in his speech to a crowd of his supporters last August, according to the Associated Press.
Khan came to power in 2018 thanks to voters tired of the politics of the country’s two main party leaders, after the former cricket star promised to end decades of entrenched corruption and nepotism.
But during his rule, the country’s economy went into free fall and the International Monetary Fund suspended a $6 billion loan program that had recently put the new government back on track, and he also lost the support of the military.