Pakistani Court Dismisses Charges of Incitement Against Imran Khan

A Pakistani court dismissed the incitement charges against former Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday, according to his lawyer and a court order. Khan (70 years old) was accused in March of inciting disobedience in a case filed in Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province in the southwest of the country, based on a complaint alleging that one of his speeches amounted to incitement. After Khan filed an appeal, the Balochistan High Court stated that the prosecutors had failed to obtain the necessary approval from the federal or provincial government to file incitement charges. The court ruled that the allegations were "legally baseless and without any legal effect," and ordered authorities to dismiss the case. Khan's lawyer, Naim Bangota, commented on the court's decision on X, stating "Thank God." The incitement case was among dozens of cases filed against Khan since he lost power after being defeated in a parliamentary vote of no confidence in April 2022. Later on Monday, the Islamabad High Court is expected to rule on Khan’s appeal to overturn his conviction and three-year prison sentence for corruption.