Summary:
- Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's appeal to suspend his corruption conviction has been rejected by a high court.
- Khan, who is currently jailed, had appealed for his release on bail, but his lawyer suggested it's unlikely to happen soon.
- Imran Khan was removed from office in a no-confidence vote last year, leading to political instability amid economic challenges.
- The court rejected Khan's plea to be moved to a better facility in a different prison.
- Pakistan's current Prime Minister Shibas Sharif has indicated the possibility of dissolving parliament and calling for a national election.
A Pakistani high court turned down an appeal by jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan with his conviction on corruption charges be suspended on Wednesday. That's according to his lawyer who suggested it was unlikely he would be released on bail anytime soon.
70-year-old Khan has been at the centre of political turmoil since he was ousted last year as Prime Minister in a no-confidence vote. It's raised concerns about Pakistan's stability as it grapples with an economic crisis. He's been barred from holding any public office for five years. Since he commenced a three-year prison sentence on Saturday on charges of unlawfully selling state gifts acquired by him and his family, the charges relate to his 2018-2022 tenure as Prime Minister. His lawyer said the court asked the concerned authorities to respond to Khan's plea to be moved to an A-class jail cell with better facilities in a prison in Rao Pindi.
Khan, who's denied any wrongdoing, was arrested at his Lahore house and is currently in a prison near Islamabad. His lawyer added that the case was adjourned for an indefinite time. It comes as Pakistan's Prime Minister Shibas Sharif, who replaced Khan after his ousting, said he would advise the president to dissolve parliament late on Wednesday, setting the stage for a national election.