Supreme Court's Shocking Move: Military Courts Continue Trials of Imran Khan Supporters Accused of Attacking Military Installations

Pakistan's Supreme Court has allowed military courts to continue the trials of over 100 supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan who are accused of attacking military installations during violent protests that erupted after Khan's arrest in May. This decision comes just two months after five judges on the same court halted the trial of 103 civilians who were arrested during a crackdown on Khan's political party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.

The violence only subsided after Khan's release on the orders of the Supreme Court. Currently serving three sentences in a high-security prison, Khan was removed from office in April 2022 following a vote of no confidence in Parliament. While Khan is facing charges of inciting violence, he is not being subjected to a military trial. The latest development in the case saw Khan being indicted for revealing official secrets, but his lawyer, Salman Safdar, informed reporters that the indictment was postponed until the following day after the court adjourned the proceedings.

The confusion surrounding Khan's lawyers is not immediately clear, as the prosecutor stated that Khan pleaded not guilty when the charges were read out during the hearing. The case is centered around a speech Khan delivered at a rally after his ouster, during which he presented a confidential diplomatic letter as evidence of a US conspiracy executed by the Pakistani military and government. The document in question, known as Cipher, is believed to be diplomatic correspondence between the Pakistani ambassador to Washington and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad. The claims made by Khan have been denied by both Washington and Pakistani officials.