Pakistan’s Former PM Imran Khan Accquited In Cipher Case, But Will Stay In Jail

Islamabad: In a major relief for Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan, the Islamabad High Court acquitted him from treason charges for leaking state secrets on Monday. The court also cleared former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi of the charges in the same cipher case. However, Imran Khan will still remain in jail on other charges. 
A two-member bench at the Islamabad High Court observed that the Federal Investigation Agency has no evidence to prove that Imran Khan retained confidential diplomatic cable that went missing from his possession. 
Khan was sentenced to a 10-year sentence by a lower court on charges of revealing confidential cable to the public which was sent to Islamabad by Pakistan’s ambassador in Washington in 2022.
The ex-foreign minister, Qureshi was also arrested on similar charges. He will also remain in jail even after the acquittal because of the May 9 violence charges.
A spokesperson of Imran Khan’s party, PTI, Naeem Puanjutha announced the decision made by the court on X. Khan will remain in custody due to the conviction linked to his marriage to his third wife, Bushra Khan. Khan is convicted for breaking Islamic law by marrying Bushra too soon after her divorce. Khan and Bushra are also convicted in a graft case. 
Earlier, a Pakistan court had also acquitted the former Pakistan Prime Minister in two cases related to violence of May 9, 2023. The court cited “insufficient evidence” to record Khan’s involvement in the violence. Some workers of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party vandalised public property on May 9 following the arrest of their leader in a corruption case. 
Cipher Case 
The Former Pakistan PM was accused of leaking a diplomatic cable to the public which was sent from the Pakistani Embassy in Washington DC. Mahommod Qureshi was also accused in the case for aiding Khan. 
Khan was accused of violating the Official Secrets Act by revealing the information in the cable.
The cable reportedly contained the orders from the US to overthrow the Khan-led PTI government by filing a no confidence motion against Khan, which eventually happened. Since Khan’s government toppled, around 150 cases have been registered against the cricketer turned politician.