Imran Khan to Face New Charges Despite Recent Cipher Case Relief: Rana Sanaullah

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan who received relief in the cipher case two day earlier, Rana Sanaullah, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political and Public Affairs, indicated that new cases would be filed against him soon.

Speaking on Geo News’ “Capital Talk,” Sanaullah responded to queries about Khan’s anticipated relief and potential release in other cases. He clarified that Khan’s release is not contingent on the outcome of his iddat case.

Sanaullah, a senior leader of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), acknowledged that under Pakistani law, an accused may benefit from the doubt. He speculated that doubts might also arise in the iddat case, similar to the cipher case. Sanaullah also remarked that as a public figure, Khan’s affairs are not merely personal.

Further, he noted that Khan was implicated in cases where crimes had been confessed. When asked about new cases, Sanaullah hinted at forthcoming legal action based on a controversial post by Khan on social media platform X. The Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) anti-cybercrime team has already begun investigating this post.

The post in question urged Pakistanis to study the Hamood ur Rahman Commission Report to discern who the real traitor was—General Yahya Khan or Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Sanaullah also commented on the political situation, stating that Khan had cornered the country into a situation with only two paths: democratic dialogue or confrontation, with no room for the latter.

Regarding legal proceedings, Khan has been incarcerated in Adiala Jail since August 2023. Following his arrest on May 9, related to post-arrest violence, several PTI politicians have faced allegations. The Islamabad High Court recently quashed Khan’s sentence in the cipher case and ordered his release.

In the iddat case, following a request from Bushra Bibi, the wife of Imran Khan, for an expedited hearing, a district and sessions court in Islamabad scheduled a date. This request for an early hearing was submitted shortly after the court consented to transfer the iddat case to a different jurisdiction upon the recommendation of District and Sessions Judge Shahrukh Arjumand.

Additionally, on May 16, the Islamabad High Court granted Imran Khan’s bail petition related to the £190 million National Crime Agency (NCA) settlement reference. Despite this approval, Khan remains in custody due to other pending charges.