Imran Khan, Shah Mahmood handed 10-year sentence in cipher case

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan's former prime minister Imran Khan and his second in line Shah Mahmood Qureshi were given a 10-year prison sentence in cipher case, after a special court found them guilty of leaking state secrets.

Judge Abu Alhasnaat Zulqurnain of special court announced the verdict in Adiala Jail. PTI founder and his second in line Shah Mahmood Qureshi faced the high profile case for allegedly retaining and communicating a classified diplomatic cable sent by Pakistan’s ambassador to US.

On Tuesday, Imran Khan’s sisters and Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s children also came to the jail for the hearing. Imran Khan and Qureshi were supposed to record statements under section 342 of the criminal procedure code today but the court announced a verdict.

In previous hearing, over a dozen witnesses were examined by state defence counsel. Only four of these witnesses were examined by the defence’s own lawyers.

Last wee, FIA prosecutor prayed before court to close the defence counsel’s right of cross-examination, saying the defence was applying to delay tactics to prolong the trial.

The former cricketer repeatedly denied the charge of leaking state secrets, saying the document contained evidence that his removal as Pakistani PM was a plot hatched by political rivals with help from the US administration. Pakistani government and Washington both rejected the accusation.

As PTI decided to move court, the decision will make impact on the upcoming general elections that are scheduled on February 8, 2024. Khan, 71, is facing over 150 cases related to riots, blasphemy, graft and other serious crimes.

Cipher case

In August 2023, an FIR was lodged against PTI founder, registered by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), invoked Section 5 of the Official Secrets Act 1923 on the complaint of the Home Secretary.

The case was registered against PTI by the anti-terrorism wing of the apex invesitagation agency. 

Imran Khan waved a letter at a public gathering in Islamabad on March 27, 2022, claiming that it was the evidence of an “international conspiracy” backed by the United States to topple his government.

Following his claims, the FIA launched an investigation against Khan, who has been named in more than 150 civil and criminal cases, for allegedly making public a confidential diplomatic cable and keeping it in his possession.

Later, it emerged that the PTI chief has lost the copy of the cipher, written by then Pakistan’s ambassador to the US. 

Azam Khan, known as a close aide of the PTI chairman, recorded his statement against PTI chairman accusing him of peddling a sham narrative about the US regime's cypher controversy.

Investigators claimed that Khan allegedly used cypher to manipulate the public's attention towards foreign involvement in no-confidence motion by the opposition.

More to follow...