Along with one of his party deputies, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Khan was previously found guilty of revealing official secrets. According to Zulfiqar Bukhari, spokesman for Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, the court announced the verdict during a hearing at the Adiala jail in Rawalpindi.
Khan, 71, was previously ousted through a no-confidence vote in parliament in April 2022 and is already serving a three-year prison sentence in a corruption case. He has been in jail since August of last year and claims that the charges are politically motivated.
The sentencing of the cricketer-turned-politician is a part of what is popularly known as the Cipher case and in relation to a diplomatic cable that Khan claims proved his allegations that a conspiracy existed to remove him from power in 2022. The latest development comes just a week ahead of the February 8 parliamentary elections in the country.
Khan’s team is likely to appeal against today’s ruling and whilst he won’t be on the ballot in next month’s elections, he remains a potent political force in Pakistan. This is because of a significant grassroots following combined with an anti-establishment rhetoric.
No comments:
Post a Comment