Imran Khan sentenced to 10 years in prison ahead of Pakistan election

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A Pakistani court has sentenced Imran Khan to 10 years in prison just days before the country’s general election, in what his party said was part of an escalating campaign to sideline the popular former prime minister.

Khan, who has been in jail since August and was already barred from standing in the February 8 general election, was convicted by a special court of violating the Official Secrets Act by leaking the contents of a diplomatic cable shortly before he was ousted as PM in 2022.

Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party said he denied the allegations and would appeal the conviction to the Islamabad High Court. 

Analysts say Pakistani authorities and the country’s powerful military, which largely controls political decision-making from behind the scenes, have been trying to ensure Khan and the PTI are unable to put up a serious challenge in next week’s polls.

Khan’s latest conviction stems from allegations he violated state secrecy laws when he waved a diplomatic cable at a public rally in 2022. The cable, Khan said at the time, showed his removal from office was the result of a conspiracy involving the US, the then-opposition and the army. All three deny the claim.

The PTI called the conviction a pretext to prevent the former cricket star, who before the crackdown had been considered a favourite to form the next government, from staging a comeback.

Khan’s former foreign minister, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, was also convicted of violating the secrecy law.

“This was done to try to create hopelessness in people that Imran Khan has been completely eliminated from the political landscape of Pakistan,” said Zulfiqar Bukhari, a senior PTI member. “We’re very hopeful that when it goes to the High Court it’ll be quashed because it’s a baseless case.”

Khan was removed as PM through a no-confidence vote in April 2022, but…