Pakistani court has convicted former Prime Minister Imran Khan of revealing official secrets, imposing a harsh 10-year sentence. Khan, ousted in a 2022 no-confidence vote, is currently serving a three-year prison term, with over 150 pending cases against him. Despite legal challenges, Khan remains a potent political force due to his grassroots following and anti-establishment stance. The conviction comes just days before parliamentary elections, prompting concerns about political manipulation.
The elections, slated for Feb. 8, coincide with Pakistan’s economic crisis, adding complexity to the political landscape. Khan’s successor, Shehbaz Sharif, faces challenges after an International Monetary Fund bailout led to widespread public discontent over increased tariffs. The conviction in the cipher case, where Khan allegedly exposed state secrets, involves waving a confidential document at a rally. The government has not disclosed the document but is believed to be diplomatic correspondence. Khan claims it proves a U.S. conspiracy behind his ouster, an allegation denied by American and Pakistani officials. The trial took place at the Rawalpindi prison, where Khan is held, raising concerns about transparency as some of Khan’s legal team members were denied access, and journalists barred from covering the proceedings. Shah Mahmood Qureshi, a senior official in Khan’s party, also received a 10-year sentence in connection to the case. Khan’s sister, Aleema Khan, denounced the trial, asserting a lack of a fair hearing, and prosecutors sought the death penalty.
Despite discontent with the government, analysts anticipate low voter turnout, attributing it to Khan’s charisma being the main draw for his party. Concerns about the fairness of the election arise as Pakistan’s human rights commission notes numerous rejections of candidates from Khan’s party. The PTI (Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf) party issued a statement supporting Khan and Qureshi, denouncing the trial as a “sham” and urging peaceful actions from supporters. Pakistan has a history of sidelining former prime ministers ahead of elections, exemplified by the legal challenges faced by Nawaz Sharif in 2018. In this unfolding scenario, Sharif now has a clear path to a fourth term after the supreme court acquitted him on all charges, lifting a lifetime ban on politicians with criminal convictions from contesting elections.
