Pakistan Court Charges Ex-PM Imran Khan of Violating Secrecy Law

(Bloomberg) -- A Pakistan court charged former prime minister Imran Khan of violating the Official Secrets Act when he allegedly made public a secret diplomatic cable while in office, adding to his legal woes and further jeopardizing his chances of contesting national elections.

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A special court judge Abual Hasnat Muhammad Zulqarnain will examine the evidence and witnesses from Thursday, Khan’s lawyer Salman Safdar said in a text message.

Khan’s former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi was also indicted in the same case. The case was heard inside the jail where Khan is imprisoned in a separate case. Khan’s lawyers have said that, if found guilty, Khan could face the death penalty.

Both Khan and Qureshi have denied the allegations and termed the charges politically motivated.

Khan is currently facing more than 170 cases from corruption to terrorism and inciting violence — all since since he was removed from power through a parliamentary confidence vote in April 2022. The government has accused the ex-cricket captain for leaking a classified diplomatic cable sent by Pakistan’s former ambassador in Washington. The leak allegedly attempted to show that Khan’s ouster from power last year was part of a conspiracy led by the US and the South Asian country’s powerful military.

Both Washington and Pakistan’s army deny the accusations.

Khan was first indicted in the same case in October but a higher court threw out that indictment for violating legal procedures. The judges ordered a lower court judge to restart the case.

The firebrand politician was disqualified from running for public office for five years after he was convicted for hiding assets he made from the sale of state gifts in August. Khan successfully appealed a higher court to suspend his three-year jail sentence but he still awaits a court verdict to overturn that conviction and hopes to be eligible to contest in national elections scheduled for February 8.

Since his conviction, Khan has voluntarily given up his position as the chairman of his Tehreek-e-Insaf party.

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