On Thursday, a Pakistani court instructed officials to present ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan for a trial scheduled on November 28, where he will face charges of disclosing classified state information, according to his attorney.

The court referenced protocols when setting the date of November 28 for Khan's presence without further elaboration. A representative from the law ministry, responsible for determining Khan's appearance, did not promptly respond to a comment request.

The former cricket icon has been entangled in complex political and legal conflicts since his removal as prime minister through a vote of no-confidence in 2022, which he firmly criticized and claimed was unjust.

Read more: Who is Shehbaz Sharif the new Pakistani PM?

If Khan were to make an appearance, this would mark his first public appearance since his incarceration. He was initially arrested on August 5 for three years on charges of illegally selling state gifts during his term as PM from 2018 to 2022. 

Trial to be restarted

Khan refuted any misconduct and rejected all allegations against him, such as corruption and the disclosure of state secrets, asserting that these accusations were fabricated by the military to prevent him from participating in the general election scheduled for February 8.

Khan's 'state secret' trial was being held in prison under the guise of security risks, but the Islamabad High Court declared it illegal on Tuesday and ordered that it be re-started in a public court. However, bail options keep getting delayed as reported by Khan's lawyer, Naeem Panjutha, who had also previously criticized the basis of this trial as unfair.

عمران خان صاحب کی تین ضمانت کی درخواستوں پر بھی سماعت 28 مومبر تک ملتوی!

— Naeem Haider Panjutha (@NaeemPanjuthaa) November 23, 2023

Pakistani Elections Amid Internal Political Unrest

It was reported by Reuters that Khan's legal troubles pose a risk of overshadowing the election campaign, and both he and his party are likely to use a court appearance as an opportunity to emphasize their criticism of what they perceive as his unjust treatment.
 
Despite not being able to take the stand, the election is shaping as a fight between Khan's party and Nawaz Sharif's, another ousted former PM, whom Khan has accused of being complicit in his arrest to avoid political confrontation in the elections. 

Authorities have taken a tough stance against Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, crushing his grassroots power by rounding up thousands of his supporters and officials.