PTI in 'high hopes of Imran Khan’s release' from prison in April

Following suspension of Imran Khan’s sentence in the Toshakhana case, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has appeared hopeful of the party founder’s imminent release from the prison this month (April).

Speaking on Geo News' Naya Pakistan programme on Sunday, PTI senior leader Latif Khosa doubled down on the other party members’ claims that incarcerated party founder Imran Khan’s release from prison is imminent. 

“I am saying this for sure that the PTI founder will be released in [this] April,” he said while speaking on Geo News programme Naya Pakistan.

Lately, several party leaders including PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan have made similar claims that the incarcerated party founder would be released from jail very soon.

Responding to the claims that PTI founder’s release will be a part of any deal, Khosa said calling the release a result of any deal would be unjustified.

He said the former premier does not believe in the politics of revenge and only wanted supremacy of Constitution in the country.

Speaking about the cases against the PTI founder, Khosa downplayed Khan’s conviction in cipher and un-Islamic nikkah case, stating: “In the cipher case, the court has already observed 'where is the cipher', while Iddat case is a shameful.”

Earlier this month, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had suspended Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi 14-year sentences in the Toshakhana reference and fixed the hearing for main appeal against conviction after Eid holidays.

However, Khan remains behind bars as he has been booked in range of other cases containing criminal charges including violating Official Secrets Act, terrorism, corruption and others.

Khan, the deposed prime minister, was ousted from power via opposition's no-confidence motion in April 2022. However, the PTI alleged that Khan removal was orchestrated by the United States by supporting the opposition's no-trust motion.

The PTI founder was arrested in August last year after he was sentenced in Toshakhana case. Later, he was convicted in cipher and un-Islamic marriage cases as well wherein his appeals are currently pending before the respective courts.

The former ruling party also claims Imran Khan was put behind bars on trumped up charges to politically victimise him and keep him out of the active politics.