Islamabad – Former Pakistani Prime Minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan has been sentenced to 10 years in prison in the cipher case. His close aide and former Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has also been sentenced to the same term.
The special court’s verdict is a major setback for Imran Khan, who is hoping to contest the upcoming general elections in Pakistan on February 8. The two leaders are now ineligible to contest elections, as they are required to have a clean criminal record.
Khan’s supporters have condemned the verdict, calling it a “political witch hunt.” They have vowed to appeal the decision in the high court.
The cipher case is a national security matter. Khan is accused of leaking highly classified information to the public. After being ousted from power, Khan alleged that the United States was behind his removal. He claimed that the Pakistani embassy in Washington had sent him a cable alleging that the US was working to remove him from office.
Khan released a controversial diplomatic conversation, which he claimed was contained in the cable. The conversation was widely condemned, with critics accusing Khan of undermining national security.
The general elections in Pakistan are expected to be a close contest. Khan’s PTI is facing a challenge from the PML-N, led by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Sharif returned to Pakistan from exile last week after the high court granted him bail.
18-Year-Old Chess Prodigy Divya Deshmukh Calls Out Sexism in the Sport. Read More
