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All rise (or not): how did 2024 fare for Imran Khan?


Imran

Former prime minister Imran Khan was put behind bars last year on May 9, 2023, but the ripple effect of that arrest could be well felt in 2024 when military courts started handing out verdicts to those involved in the post-arrest carnage. Heading to 2025 in less than 12-hours, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder remains incarcerated while his party which was supposedly the ‘winner’ in general elections is struggling to hold the fort.

Khan remained entangled in a web of legal battles as he faced charges across multiple jurisdictions in Pakistan.

Hum News spoke to his lawyer, Advocate Khalid Yousaf Chaudhry, to gauge how many cases are hounding the former cricketer.

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The cases range from allegations of murder to accusations of financial improprieties, including the high-profile Toshakhana case. Several FIRs against him have been also been registered under the anti-terrorism act.

Currently, Imran Khan faces 201 cases in total, registered across Pakistan.

Imran Khan is presently under arrest in 15 cases filed against him in Lahore and Rawalpindi, pertaining to the protest demonstrations his party workers held in both cities.

Chaudhry stated that Punjab Police has lodged a total of 99 FIRs against the former prime minister. All the cases are related to protest demonstrations and violence against the military and other state installations that erupted following his arrest. Military courts have already sentenced 85 of Imran Khan’s supports in May 9 cases up to 10 years imprisonment. His nephew, Hassaan Khan Niazi is among the convicted, handed over 10 years rigorous imprisonment.

Following the footsteps of Punjab Police, Islamabad Police have also filed 76 FIRs against the popular politician. These cases are also related to the protest demonstration Khan’s fans held over the time.

Imran Khan has been booked in eight cases tied to the events of May 9, when unrest erupted following his arrest in Al-Qadir Trust reference case.

Seven cases were registered against him after the PTI workers rallied at Rawalpindi’s Liaquat Bagh under the leadership of Ali Amin Gandapur in October 2024.

Khan was nominated in two FIRs each in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. It appears the provinces were competing to file cases against Imran Khan as none of them were left behind except Sindh. Likewise, no FIRs was lodged against Khan in Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu Kashmir.

One of the FIRs filed by Islamabad Police against Imran Khan accused him of planning the murder of Rangers personnel at Adiala Jail. Four Rangers officials were ‘killed’ in a hit-and-run incident on Srinagar Highway during the PTI protest in Islamabad on Nov 26.

Moreover, seven cases filed by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) – largely involving financial or institutional breaches – add further to the woes of the incarcerated PTI founder.

Although Imran Khan have been wading through deep ‘legal waters’ since May 9, he made a few wins. As his party chairman Barrister Gohar said: “All the cases against Imran Khan have been politically motivated. He has been granted bail in all of them; there is only one remaining case, the decision in which is yet to be announced.”

In Toshakhana-I case, Imran Khan awaits an appellate ruling on a conviction handed down by Judge Humayun Dilawar. In Toshakhana-II case, he has been granted bail despite a conviction handed down by Judge Bashir. Toshakhana-III, the latest case pursued by the Federal Investigation Agency, remains in trial. 

Appeals against his acquittal in these cases are pending in the Supreme Court and Islamabad High Court (IHC), respectively. IHC acquitted Khan in the Cipher case on June 3, however Interior Ministry challenged his acquittal before the Supreme Court on June 14. The appeal is still pending with the apex court. The other appeal against his acquittal in the ‘illegal Nikkah case’ was filed by Khawar Manika, the ex-husband of Imran Khan third wife, Bushra Bibi. Earlier in this case, the couple was awarded seven years in jail by a civil court in Islamabad on Feb 3, 2024. However, an Islamabad District and Sessions Court on July 13, 2024 dismissed charges against them.

In addition, Imran Khan has also achieved acquittals in 16 of total 33 cases filed against him in 2022 when he embarked on a series of protest rallies and demonstrations across Pakistan.

Given the long list of cases against Imran Khan, it may seem as though he ‘will never see the light of day.’ After he gets bail in one case, he is often arrested again in a new case. A recent example occurred when he was granted bail in Toshakhana-II case by the IHC on Nov 20, but was immediately arrested by Punjab Police in New Town police station case.

However, Imran Khan’s legal team remains optimistic, confident that he will soon be with his supporters, as the major cases against him have either concluded or are near their conclusion.

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