On Tuesday, Imran Khan, the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, received a 10-year jail sentence, as reported by state media and his party’s spokesperson.
This contentious verdict is linked to a leaked document.
The trial took place within the confines of the jail where Khan has been held since his arrest in August. This development unfolds amidst the upcoming elections scheduled for February 8.
A spokesperson for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party stated, “Former Prime Minister Imran Khan and PTI vice-president Shah Mahmood Qureshi have each been sentenced to 10 years within prison in the cypher case,” shedding light on the case’s focal point.
The controversy revolves around their handling of a “cypher” from Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States, alleging U.S. complicity in a plot to remove Khan from office in 2022.
This sentencing comes at a critical juncture, with millions set to vote in less than two weeks, marking a campaign overshadowed by accusations of pre-vote rigging and reported suppression of Khan’s party.