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Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan sentenced to 10 years in prison
The former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, has been handed a 10-year prison sentence following his conviction on charges of disclosing classified state information.
Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan pauses as he speaks with Reuters during an interview, in Lahore, Pakistan March 17, 2023. REUTERS/Akhtar Soomro/File Photo
In a momentous legal decision that has sent shockwaves through Pakistan, former Prime Minister Imran Khan has been given a ten-year prison sentence for divulging classified national secrets without authorisation.
The case against Imran Khan, a prominent figure in Pakistani politics and a former cricket luminary, originated from allegations of disclosing sensitive state information during his tenure as Prime Minister.
On Tuesday, the hearing was held in a closed court set up under the Official Secrets Act at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, where both Khan and former Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi are currently serving time for corruption convictions.
The duo “have been sentenced 10 years each in a sham case with no access to media or public in Cypher Case,” said PTI. Adding that their legal representatives will contest the verdict in a higher court, seeking to have the sentences suspended.
The sentencing in what is commonly referred to as the “cypher case,” follows accusations against Khan for allegedly disclosing an encrypted diplomatic communication authored by a Pakistani diplomat in March 2022, stemming from a meeting with a US State Department official.
Khan, however, asserted that the said document provided evidence supporting his allegation that his removal from power through a parliamentary no-confidence vote in 2022 was part of a conspiracy against him.
The sentencing of a former head of state to such a lengthy incarceration period underscores the gravity of the offence and conveys an unequivocal message about the repercussions of breaching public trust.
The consequences of Imran Khan’s conviction extend far beyond politics, with broader implications concerning the safeguarding of classified data and the imperative for stringent protective measures against unauthorised disclosures.
Moreover, the verdict imparts a poignant lesson to present and future leaders regarding the imperative of upholding impeccable ethical standards and respecting the sanctity of confidential information. It serves as a cautionary narrative on the hazards of betraying the trust bestowed upon them by the populace they serve.
