New Delhi: The conviction and sentencing of former ISI chief Lt General Faiz Hameed is a sign of what is to come for Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
The establishment has already decided that Imran Khan would be tried for treason and his party, the PTI, would be banned.
Hameed was sentenced to 14 years by a Field General Court Martial.
His testimony and the evidence that the army has gathered have paved the way for Imran Khan to be tried.
In Pakistan, the Federal Law Ministry has already held consultations following the conviction of Hameed. It has now been decided that a comprehensive draft lawsuit would be prepared before formal proceedings could begin against Imran Khan.
Intelligence agencies have gathered that the decision to try Imran Khan for treason would then pave the way to ban the PTI. This is the reason that Pakistan has decided to try its former Prime Minister under the Official Secrets Act.
An image of Imran Khan as being anti-national would be protected, and this would be used as the reason to ban his political party, which even today enjoys plenty of support from the people of Pakistan, officials say.
The establishment has been arguing that Imran Khan had information about national secrets since he was the Prime Minister. It has been accusing him of passing on those national secrets to vested interests, and hence a case under the Official Secrets Act can be made out against him.
The establishment hopes that this would not only lead to the conviction of Imran Khan but would also change the people’s perception of him.
Experts say that the establishment hopes that his conviction in a treason case would brand Imran Khan an anti-national, and this would eventually lead to his support base dropping dramatically.
However, Imran Khan is not the only one who is on the radar of the establishment. Along with him, the establishment also plans to try his close aides and senior military officials.
Pakistan watchers say that these trials would be anything but fair, as they would be held in military courts under the provisions of the Official Secrets Act.
The other charges that Imran Khan and his aides would be tried under include instigating mutiny and encouraging attacks on the military, its installations and assets during the violence that broke out on May 9, 2023, when his supporters were protesting against his arrest the same year.
The case of the military against Imran Khan and his aides has been bolstered by the fact that the Supreme Court, while hearing cases relating to the May 9, 2023, violence, said that civilians involved should be tried in the military courts.
In addition to this, there is also political pressure building around this case.
The Punjab Assembly recently passed a resolution seeking Imran Khan’s trial for treason and calling for a ban on his political outfit.
Officials say that the military was waiting for the conviction and sentencing of Hameed so that they could kickstart the trial against Imran Khan.
Hameed’s testimony and the evidence he has provided would be used to put out a case against Imran Khan.
A statement by the ISPR regarding Hameed said that he was involved in fomenting vested political agitation and instability in cahoots with political elements.
Imran Khan has been in jail since his multiple convictions. They include 14 years in the Toshakhana case, seven in the Iddat case, and 14 years in the Al-Qadir Trust case.
(IANS)
