Supporters of Imran Khan’s party attend a rally ahead of the general elections in Karachi. Image:EPA
Amidst the impending election, Imran Khan, was imprisoned in a state secrets case.
The week prior to the general elections, in which he is ineligible to run, he was found guilty under the secrets act.
A special court established within Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi has sentenced Shah Mahmood Qureshi, the former foreign minister and vice-chairman of Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, to ten years in prison.
Both men are now being incarcerated there. The alleged leak of classified diplomatic information transmitted by Pakistan’s ambassador in Washington to Islamabad during Khan’s prime ministership is at the centre of the so-called cypher case.
It has to do with his March 2022 appearance at a rally, one month before the former cricket player was removed from office via a vote of no confidence.
Upon taking the podium, Imran Khan waved a piece of paper that he said revealed a foreign plot against him.
He clarified by saying, “If Imran Khan is removed from power, everyone will be forgiven.”
He didn’t mention the nation, but he went on to criticise the US harshly.
The former prime minister’s conduct amounted to disclosing a secret document and jeopardising diplomatic ties, according to the prosecution.
The last charge carries a potential life sentence or perhaps death penalty. Since August, Imran Khan has been detained at Adiala jail.
The special court has been holding proceedings over the past few months, although attendance by international journalists has been prohibited.
The judge has reportedly been instructed to expedite the trial, according to the local media. A PTI official referred to the court decision as a farce and declared that it would be challenged.
Lawyer Naeem Panjutha, who is representing the former prime minister in numerous other court matters, tweeted on X (formerly Twitter) saying, “We don’t accept this illegal decision.”
The general election is scheduled on February 8th, and there have been claims that the PTI is being stopped from campaigning by the authorities.