In Pakistan, a special court established under the Official Secrets Act, today sentenced former Prime Minister Imran Khan for 10 years in prison in the cipher case.
Ex-foreign Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Party vice-president Shah Mahmood Qureshi has also been sentenced to 10 years in prison in the case.
The cipher case pertains to a diplomatic document that the Pakistan Federal Investigation Agency’s charge sheet alleges was never returned by Mr. Imran Khan.
Local media reported that the sentencing comes as Pakistan approaches elections slated for February 8th.
Mr. Khan and Mr. Qureshi have pleaded not guilty ever since being indicted for exposing state secrets in October. Khan was granted bail in the case in December. But he remained behind bars due to the various other legal cases.
This is Mr Khan’s second conviction as he was also convicted in the Toshakhana case in August last year and sentenced to three years’ imprisonment. Meanwhile, the Islamabad High Court had suspended his sentence.
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