Imran: Imran Khan indicted in cipher case, could face death penalty if convicted newsbhunt

ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani special court indicted on Monday jailed former PM Imran Khan and his incarcerated deputy, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, under the Official Secrets Act of 1923 in a cipher case linked to making public the contents of a classified diplomatic cable.
The charge has added to legal hurdles that the PTI chief has been facing since his removal from office in 2022. Indictment for leaking confidential information carries a penalty of 14 years’ imprisonment and, in extreme cases, the death penalty, legal experts say.

Imran and his party allege that the diplomatic cable contained a threat from the US to overthrow the then PTI government.

Khan’s party said the two leaders were charged under the colonial-era Official Secrets Act in a closeddoor trial, adding that the ruling would be “challenged” in ahigh court. This was the second indictment against Khan, complicating his attempts to contest elections scheduled for late January. The cipher case was filed during the tenure of the Shehbaz Sharif-led government, with tacit approval from the country’s powerful military.