A Pakistani court has handed down a 10-year prison sentence to former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his party deputy for revealing official secrets.
According to Zulfiqar Bukhari, chief spokesman for Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, or PTI, the conviction, part of the Cipher case, was announced in a special court at the prison in Rawalpindi, where Khan is held. Both Khan and his deputy, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who also received a 10-year sentence, have the right to appeal.
The ruling comes just ahead of the Feb. 8 parliamentary elections, in which Khan is barred from running due to a previous criminal conviction.
Despite not being on the ballot, Khan remains a significant political force, emphasizing that the legal cases against him are attempts to sideline him. The Cipher case is one of over 150 cases against Khan, and his party, PTI, claims the proceedings are a “sham trial.”
The party calls for peaceful actions while awaiting an appeal, stressing the importance of the upcoming election day to secure victory. Despite fears of a death sentence during the trial, Khan maintains his innocence, emphasizing he didn’t disclose the exact contents of the cable.
Political analyst Muhammad Ali notes that the verdict was expected and suggests that both Khan and his deputy have damaged Pakistan’s diplomatic ties with the United States.
