Jailed Former PM Imran Khan Appears Via Video Link in Pakistan Supreme Court

Islamabad: Jailed former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan appeared in the nation's top court via a video link on Thursday in connection with a case he has filed against amendments made to Pakistan's National Accountability Ordinance back in 2022. Despite recently being granted bail, the 71-year-old leader still remains in jail on other charges.

During his months-long incarceration, Khan has appeared in court via video link from time to time but cameras are not permitted to record the proceedings.

This time, however, his appearance via video link was supposed to be live-streamed on the court's website and YouTube after the top court permitted him to present his case ‘in person’ instead of going through his lawyer.

Ultimately, for an as yet unknown reason, the visuals of the court proceedings were not live-streamed and the only visual from Khan's court appearance came from an image uploaded by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf X account. 

As noted in a report by Dawn, Khan had challenged amendments made to the National Accountability Ordinance in 2022 by the then PDM-led government on the grounds that these changes — which included a reduction in the term of the National Accountability Bureau chairman and prosecutor general — would allow convicted public officeholders to slip out of their convictions. 

While Khan was expected to present his arguments via video link on Thursday, the hearing was ultimately indefinitely adjourned without the former PM having any opportunity to speak. The court directed the government to make arrangements for Khan to appear via video link next time as well, whenever the hearing takes place.