Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan sentenced to 10 years in jail

Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan has been sentenced to 10 years in jail after he was found guilty of leaking state secrets, state media and a spokesman for his party said.

This comes just over a week before the country’s general election on February 8.

The jail sentence follows a trial held inside the jail where Khan has been detained for much of the time since his arrest in August.

Arrest

“Former prime minister Imran Khan and PTI (Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf) vice-president (Shah Mahmood) Qureshi have been sentenced to 10 years each inside prison in the cypher case,” a spokesman for the party was quoted as saying by AFP.

A complete disgusting mockery of law in this absolutely ridiculous trial.
InshAllah, the revenge will be taken through vote inshAllah. Such sham trials have their future written in dustbin. #نہ_مایوس_ہوں_نہ_مشتعل #ووٹ_کرے_گا_میرا_فیصلہ https://t.co/cl2v9sbkD9

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— PTI (@PTIofficial) January 30, 2024

Imran Khan is expected to challenge the decision in a higher court, but it represents the latest blow to PTI ahead of the election.

The case centres around how the pair handled a so-called “cypher” sent by Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States that alleged Washington was complicit in a plot to turf Imran Khan from office in 2022.

سائفر سے زیادہ مضحکہ خیز کیس کوئی ہو نہیں سکتا۔اس سے بڑا مذاق کیا ہو گا کہ بیرونی سازش کو بے نقاب کرنے پر پاکستان نے اپنے وزیراعظم اور وزیر خارجہ کو قید کر رکھا ہے!!#نہ_مایوس_ہوں_نہ_مشتعل #ووٹ_کرے_گا_میرا_فیصلہ pic.twitter.com/tfQ2CZW5MU

— PTI (@PTIofficial) January 30, 2024

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Charges

It was alleged that Khan shared the contents of a secret cable sent by the country’s ambassador in Washington to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad by waving it at a rally, according to Al Jazeera.

Khan repeatedly denied the charge, saying the document contained evidence that his removal as prime minister was a plot hatched by his political opponents and the powerful military, with help from the US administration. Washington and Islamabad reject the accusation.

He was Prime Minister from August 2018 to April 2022 when he lost a vote of confidence in the parliament.

Assassination attempt

In 2022, Khan survived an assassination attempt. The 70-year-old was wounded on the foot when shots were fired from the crowd during a political rally near the city of Gujranwala. Khan was giving a speech to supporters when the shooting happened.

He was taken from the rally site, just outside the town of Gujranwala, to receive treatment in Lahore.

At least three of his supporters were also injured.

ALSO READ: WATCH: Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan survives ‘assassination attempt’