Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan sentenced to 10 years in prison for leaking state secrets

“Former prime minister Imran Khan and former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi have been sentenced 10 years each in a sham case with no access to media or public in Cypher Case,” PTI said.

It added that their legal team “will challenge the decision in a higher court” as they hope to get the sentence suspended.

The hearing took place Tuesday in a special court established under the Official Secrets Act.

The sentencing comes ahead of parliamentary elections set to be held in Pakistan on February 8.

Khan, who swept to power in 2018 before his ouster in 2022, has been in jail since August after he was found guilty of corruption and sentenced to three years in prison.

Khan has alleged that Pakistan’s current government conspired with the country’s army chief to remove him from power – and that his arrest and disqualification are politically motivated. And despite his ouster, Khan maintains widespread popularity in the country ahead of nationwide polls later this year.