Pakistan’s former Prime Minister, Imran Khan, has been handed a 10-year prison sentence for alleged state secrets leakage, as announced by his political party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), in a statement on Tuesday.
The closed-door hearing occurred on Tuesday under the Official Secrets Act at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, where Khan and former Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi are already serving time for corruption convictions. PTI decried the “sham” nature of the case, revealing that both Khan and Qureshi received 10 years each in the “Cypher Case,” without access to media or public scrutiny. The PTI legal team intends to challenge this decision in a higher court, seeking to suspend the sentences.
This sentencing is the latest development in a series of legal battles faced by Khan and comes just before the parliamentary elections scheduled for February 8. Unfortunately, due to his prior conviction, the ousted former leader is ineligible to participate in the upcoming vote.
The “Cypher Case” revolves around accusations that Khan leaked an encrypted diplomatic cable written by a Pakistani diplomat in March 2022, based on a meeting with a US State Department official. Khan had asserted that the document proved a conspiracy to remove him from power through a parliamentary no-confidence vote in 2022.
Despite facing numerous legal challenges and being behind bars since August after a corruption conviction, Imran Khan remains a significant political force, boasting widespread popularity. He insists that the charges against him are politically motivated, a claim authorities deny.
In the aftermath of his ouster, Khan drew tens of thousands to nationwide rallies, becoming a prominent figure in the country’s volatile political scene, with supporters rallying in his defense. Despite being barred from standing in the upcoming elections, Khan continues to be a major influence. TV stations are restricted from airing Khan’s speeches, and several PTI party members have been arrested amidst this ongoing legal saga.
