In a recent development, former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and his then Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi have been indicted for allegedly leaking a classified diplomatic cable, thereby violating the official Secrets Act. The charges claim that Khan revealed the cable, which purportedly exposed a conspiracy by the U.S. and Pakistan’s military to remove him from power. While both Khan and Qureshi vehemently deny the allegations and label them as politically motivated, the legal proceedings have consequences that could complicate Khan’s upcoming electoral aspirations.
The special court handling the case conducted the indictment within the confines of a jail where Khan is currently detained. If found guilty, Khan could face a maximum prison sentence of 14 years. The next court hearing, scheduled for October 27, will witness witness testimonies and cross-questioning as part of the ongoing trial.
This is the second indictment Khan has faced since his disqualification from running for public office for a period of five years due to a corruption conviction in August. However, Khan successfully appealed the sentence, resulting in the suspension of his three-year jail term. However, his legal battles are far from over, with more than 170 cases pending against him, ranging from murder to terrorism charges.
The Pakistani investigative agency has also lodged a case against Khan and Qureshi for unveiling the contents of the secret cable, which the former Prime Minister presented as evidence of a conspiracy orchestrated by the U.S. to unseat him just days before a crucial no-confidence vote. However, both Washington and Pakistan’s military, alongside the opposition at the time, denied Khan’s claims.
Despite his removal from power in April 2022 and subsequent incarceration, Imran Khan remains one of Pakistan’s most popular politicians. A Gallup poll conducted in June and published last month indicated that six out of ten Pakistanis hold a favorable view of the firebrand politician—almost double the approval ratings of Shehbaz Sharif, who assumed the role of prime minister after Khan’s removal.
With the return of his elder brother and former three-time prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, this week, Shehbaz Sharif hopes to leverage his brother’s popularity to rally support for their party and secure voters ahead of next year’s elections. The poll revealed that Nawaz Sharif enjoys a 36% approval rating among the surveyed population in Pakistan.
As the legal proceedings against Imran Khan continue and the political landscape evolves, the future course of Pakistani politics remains uncertain. The upcoming elections scheduled for late January are poised to be a critical turning point, shaping the nation’s governance and the aspirations of its citizens.
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