Pakistan Court Indicts Jailed Ex-PM Imran Khan in State Secrets Case

Guilty verdict could bring up to 10 years in prison in a case that reduces Khan’s chances of being released in time to campaign before elections next year.

By Al-Jazeera
Global Research, December 15, 2023
Al Jazeera 13 December 2023
Region:
Theme: ,
In-depth Report:

All Global Research articles can be read in 51 languages by activating the Translate Website button below the author’s name (only available in desktop version).

To receive Global Research’s Daily Newsletter (selected articles), click here.

Click the share button above to email/forward this article to your friends and colleagues. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter and subscribe to our Telegram Channel. Feel free to repost and share widely Global Research articles.

***

Jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan has pleaded not guilty to charges of leaking state secrets under an indictment that deals a new blow to his chances of contesting Pakistan’s general election in February.

The charges are related to a classified cable called a cypher sent to Islamabad by Pakistan’s ambassador in Washington last year that Khan is accused of making public.

“The charges were read out loudly in the courtroom,” government prosecutor Shah Khawar said on Wednesday, adding that Khan and his co-accused, former Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, both denied the charges.

Khan’s lawyer Gohar Khan contested the indictment, saying it would be valid only if signed by the accused. The former prime minister has previously said the contents of the cable appeared in the media from other sources.

A guilty verdict under the Official Secrets Act could bring up to 10 years in prison, lawyers said.

It is the second time Khan has been indicted on the same charges after a superior court struck down an earlier indictment on technical grounds, saying the correct procedure had not been followed.

Click here to read the full article on Al Jazeera.

*

Note to readers: Please click the share button above. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter and subscribe to our Telegram Channel. Feel free to repost and share widely Global Research articles.

Featured image is from Countercurrents
Articles by: Al-Jazeera

Disclaimer: The contents of this article are of sole responsibility of the author(s). The Centre for Research on Globalization will not be responsible for any inaccurate or incorrect statement in this article. The Centre of Research on Globalization grants permission to cross-post Global Research articles on community internet sites as long the source and copyright are acknowledged together with a hyperlink to the original Global Research article. For publication of Global Research articles in print or other forms including commercial internet sites, contact: [email protected]

www.globalresearch.ca contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available to our readers under the provisions of "fair use" in an effort to advance a better understanding of political, economic and social issues. The material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving it for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material for purposes other than "fair use" you must request permission from the copyright owner.

For media inquiries: [email protected]