Mianwali: Founder of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan has submitted his nomination papers in his home constituency of Mianwali on Friday. Umar Bodla, a leader of PTI, represented the former prime minister during the submission of nomination papers for the National Assembly’s NA-89 constituency.

Imran Khan, a 70-year-old former international cricket star, has been entangled in a political crisis since his removal through a parliamentary no-confidence vote in April 2022.

Following his ousting, he was sentenced to three years in jail on August 5 for alleged selling of state gifts during his tenure as prime minister from 2018 to 2022—a charge he vehemently denies.

Seeking to overturn the conviction that bars him from contesting elections for five years, Khan filed a plea in the Islamabad High Court, but it was rejected. Subsequently, his party decided to move the Supreme Court.

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In a separate development, Khan’s legal team secured bail for him from the apex court earlier in the day. However, this doesn’t imply his immediate release as he faces arrests in two additional cases during his incarceration.

The legal team argues that the district court’s judgment, leading to Khan’s imprisonment and disqualification, lacked a valid basis.

Pakistan’s general elections are scheduled for February 8, 2024, with political parties intensifying their efforts through rallies and political maneuvering to gain support from significant voter bases.

The incoming government is expected to grapple with economic stabilization and political uncertainty, both of which have been persistent since the ouster of PTI.

The political landscape remains uncertain, and several politicians have hinted at the possibility of a coalition government, given that no party currently holds a majority to elect a prime minister.

Despite Imran Khan’s disqualification and strained relationship with the establishment, he remains a pivotal figure for PTI’s voter base.