The imprisoned former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, and the ex-Foreign Minister, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, have been handed down 10-year sentences each for the disclosure of state secrets. This ruling comes just ahead of the February 8 general elections.
The Special Court Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain declared the verdict during the proceedings held at the specialized court in Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, established under the Official Secrets Act.
Imran Khan is currently serving a three-year jail term due to a prior conviction for corruption. His political party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI), has b`een facing a series of challenges, including the denial of its election symbol, the cricket bat, and the rejection of nomination papers for Khan, Qureshi, and several other party leaders.
The cipher case revolves around a document believed to be a diplomatic cable that Khan presented at a public rally on March 27, 2022, alleging it as ‘evidence’ of an "international conspiracy" against his government. The case was filed by the Federal Investigation Agency on August 15 last year, accusing Khan and Qureshi of violating secrecy laws while handling the cable sent by the Pakistan embassy in Washington in March 2022.
Both PTI leaders confirmed the development, describing it as a "sham case with no access to media or the public." The party plans to challenge the decision in a higher court, citing poor proceedings and hasty decisions. The legal team asserts that the Islamabad High Court had annulled proceedings twice, ordered media and public access, but denied access to the legal team.
The initial indictment of PTI leaders took place in October 2023, but the process was reversed by the Islamabad High Court, which ruled against in-camera proceedings. They were indicted again in December.
(With Agency Inputs)
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