Imran Khan to President Alvi: No Pardon Desired for Sentences



Islamabad: Spokesperson for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Ruhf Hasan, has claimed that the party's founder and chairman, Imran Khan, has sent a message to President of Pakistan, Arif Alvi, stating that he does not seek pardon for himself from any sentences under the presidential authority.

While speaking to Dawn News, the party's Information Secretary stated that the President of the country has constitutional authority to pardon any sentence imposed by a court.

He said that various demands are being made from different circles, including social media, that President Alvi should pardon Imran Khan's sentences.

Rauf Hassan said that upon seeing such demands, Imran Khan has sent a message to the President of the country asking him not to pardon the sentences. He stated that the party's founder and chairman will not accept any pardon.

The President has the authority, under Article 45 of the Constitution, to pardon, suspend, or mitigate any sentence imposed by any court, tribunal, or other competent authority, as well as to postpone or change it for a period.

Many constitutional experts and legal experts believe that the President of the country can only pardon or suspend someone's sentence on the recommendation of the Prime Minister, but others believe that the President of the country can take such actions at his own discretion, without the need for the Prime Minister's recommendation.

Last year in August, after the Islamabad High Court imposed a sentence in the Toosha Khana case against Imran Khan, senior lawyer Sardar Latif Khosa said that the President of the country, on his own discretion or on the advice of the Prime Minister, can terminate or pardon any sentence under Article 45.

He said that there is no obligation on the President to grant pardon. He further stated that heads of states around the world have the authority to pardon, suspend, or postpone a criminal's sentence for a period of time.

Although last year the Islamabad High Court had suspended Imran Khan's sentence, he was sentenced in three other cases one after the other before the general elections on February 8. In the Saifur case, he was convicted along with Shah Mahmood Qureshi and sentenced to 10 years in prison. Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi were sentenced in two other cases (NAB's Toosha Khana case and illegal marriage case).

In the Toosha Khana case, both were sentenced to 14 years, while in the illegal marriage case, both were sentenced to 7 years. These three sentences were pronounced a week before the general elections.

After the success of a large number of PTI-backed candidates in the general elections, supporters of PTI have started demanding from the President of the country to pardon Imran Khan's sentences. Imran Khan and his legal team have already challenged all three sentences in the Islamabad High Court.