Imran Khan faces 10 Years in Prison for Leaking State Secrets

Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has received a 10-year prison sentence in a case in which he was accused of leaking state secrets.

Khan is already serving a three-year prison sentence after being convicted of corruption.

However, Khan – who was ousted by his opponents as PM in 2022 – has called all the charges against him politically motivated.

The conviction under the Secrets Act comes a week before Pakistan’s general election, which he is prohibited from standing.

Former Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi was also sentenced to 10 years in prison by the special court set up inside Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, where both men are being held.

The so-called Cypher Case revolves around the alleged leaking of secret diplomatic correspondence sent by Pakistan’s US ambassador to Islamabad when Imran Khan was Prime Minister.

The case relates to his appearance at a rally in March 2022, a month before he was ousted from power in a vote of no confidence.

Imran Khan appeared on stage, waving a piece of paper that he claimed showed a foreign conspiracy against him.

He said the paper detailed that “all will be forgiven if Imran Khan is removed from power”.

Although he did not name the country, Khan was subsequently highly critical of the United States.

Prosecutors said Khan’s actions amounted to leaking a classified document and damaging diplomatic relations.

The latter charge can lead to life imprisonment or even the death penalty.

Imran Khan has been imprisoned in Adiala Jail since August 2023.

International media were not allowed to attend proceedings in the special court which have been going on over the last few months.

According to Pakistani media outlets, the judge had recently been told to expedite the trial.

A spokesperson for Khan’s PTI said it would challenge the court ruling and called it a mockery.

Naeem Panjutha, a lawyer for Khan, posted on X:

“We don’t accept this illegal decision.”

PTI said Khan and Qureshi “have been sentenced 10 years each in a sham case with no access to media or public in Cypher Case”.

Their legal team added that they “will challenge the decision in a higher court” as they hope to get the sentences suspended.

The general election will be held on February 8, 2024, amid allegations that the PTI is being prevented by the authorities from campaigning.