Pakistan Ex PM Imran Khan Sentenced To 10 Years In Prison

Pakistan former prime minister and Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, and Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi have been sentenced to 10 years in prison for leaking state secrets, under the Cipher Case, by a special court in Pakistan Today.

Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqernain of the Official Secrets Act special court presided over the case and delivered judgement conducting proceedings at the Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi.

The cipher case concerns a diplomatic document reportedly disclosed, which later went missing from Khan’s possession. Khan had repeatedly rebuked the allegations against compromising state secrecy and pointed cipher case as a conspiracy to remove him from the PM’s office. In 2022, a No-confidence motion was passed against Imran Khan in Pak assembly.

The issue concerns Khan”s remarks at a rally following his removal in a no-confidence vote, as well as his waving of a private diplomatic document. According to reports, “Khan had touted the letter as proof that he was ousted from power as part of a US conspiracy backed by the powerful military establishment.”

The Vice Chairman of PTI Shah Mahmood Qureshi is also sentenced for the same duration under the cipher case. According to the news agency PTI, statements from 10 witnesses are recorded against Imran Khan and Mahmood Qureshi in the case. “They were brought by the Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) which registered the case Against Khan and Qureshi for violating the country’s secret laws by allegedly disclosing details of official diplomatic communication”, reported PTI.

Imran Khan criticized his fraudulent indictment on his social media account “X,” pointing to the bails granted to him by the Pakistani Supreme Court and two High Courts in the cipher case.

Notably, this is the second conviction of Imran Khan after a 3 years jail sentence in the Toshkhana case in August 5, 2023. An Islamabad high court suspended the three years sentence amounting to a legal victory for Khan. But the victory was short lived as he was imposed with newer charges and re-arrested.

Currently, Khan has been slapped with almost 150 cases including charges involving contempt of court to terrorism and incitement of violence.