Last Updated: October 23, 2023, 11:59 IST
Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan currently faces nearly 200 charges, including sedition, terrorism, and abetting murder. (AP File Photo)
Imran Khan, the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, is indicted and charged with the alleged leaking of classified documents
Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has been formally charged with leaking official diplomatic cables, a case that could potentially result in a 10-year jail sentence and a lifetime disqualification if the charges are proven. This comes as a result of a case where Khan had claimed he was ousted as part of a US conspiracy backed by the military establishment. However, both the United States and the Pakistani military have denied this allegation.
The charges were officially filed on Monday, as confirmed by Shah Khawar of Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency outside Adiala Jail, where Khan is currently incarcerated. Imran Khan, a former cricketing superstar, had previously been jailed in August for three years over graft, but his sentence was later overturned, leading to his continued custody on the more severe charge of sharing state documents.
The case revolves around a cable that Khan had presented as evidence of his ousting, but according to a report by the government’s Federal Investigation Agency, it is not supported by evidence. Furthermore, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, the vice chairman of Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party and a former foreign minister, has also been indicted in connection with this case. Legal experts suggest that these charges could carry a maximum jail term of 14 years.
Adding to the complexity of the situation, CNN News18 recently revealed that a former US ambassador had given a statement against Imran Khan and his government, asserting that their meeting with US counterparts was on record and made no mention of any threat. The communication sent to the Foreign Secretary was a routine process, and no mention of a threat or conspiracy was found in these records.
“The actual details of the meeting were shared with the Foreign Secretary and nothing suggesting a conspiracy was mentioned. This conclusion was drawn by the then Imran Khan government,” Majeed told the court, according to sources in Pakistan. The statement, suggesting that Khan created the controversy against foreign partners for his own political benefit, will cost him a lot, said sources.
