Imran Khan Acquitted of State Secrets Leak, But Still Behind Bars
In a dramatic turn of events, former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has been cleared of leaking state secrets. However, despite this victory, he will remain in jail due to a separate conviction in another case.
Imran Khan, a 71-year-old political figure who was ousted as prime minister in 2022, faced a series of legal battles in the lead-up to the elections in February. He was handed three prison sentences in what he claims were politically motivated cases.
One of these sentences, a 10-year prison term imposed in January for allegedly disclosing a diplomatic cable in 2022, has now been overturned by the Islamabad High Court. Despite this ruling, Khan is not expected to be released from prison at this time.
The former cricket star and his third wife Bushra are currently serving prison sentences following a court decision that deemed their 2018 marriage as un-Islamic and illegal due to its timing after her divorce. Additionally, the couple was found guilty of corruption related to gifts received during Khan’s time as prime minister.
Despite his incarceration, Imran Khan continues to wield significant influence in Pakistani politics. During the recent elections, his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party emerged as the largest bloc, although they fell short of securing a majority, leading to the formation of a new government by their rivals.
One of the cases against Khan, known as the “cipher case”, alleged that he had leaked a classified cable intended for Pakistan’s ambassador in Washington. Khan had publicly displayed a document at a rally in March 2022, claiming it as evidence of a foreign conspiracy against him. While he did not name the country involved, he later criticized the US, a claim denied by officials from both countries.
The prosecution argued that Khan’s actions constituted a breach of classified information and harmed diplomatic relations. Khan’s foreign minister, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, also faced a 10-year prison sentence in connection with the same case, but both men were acquitted on Monday.
“Thank God, the sentence is overturned,” expressed PTI spokesman Naeem Panjutha on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. — BBC
