Jailed former PM Imran Khan barred from Pakistan politics for five years: Report

Former Prime Minister Imran Khan was barred from politics for five years on Tuesday by Pakistan’s election commission after his conviction on graft charges, local media reported. Several television news channels said the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) issued a notification in line with the court ruling which found him guilty as charged. Under Pakistani laws, a convicted person cannot run for public office for a period defined by the ECP, which could be up to a maximum of five years. Khan has been barred from active politics for a total period of five years by the Commission. The former prime minister was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment on Saturday. He was arrested at his Lahore house and transported to a prison near Islamabad. The former premier was tried on charges of illegally selling state gifts during his tenure from 2018 to 2022. Khan’s legal team has challenged the guilty verdict, which Islamabad High Court will take up on Wednesday.