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Pakistan's former prime minister Imran Khan: verdict ahead of general elections
Photo: KM Chaudary / AP
A Pakistani court has sentenced former Prime Minister Imran Khan and one of his party colleagues to ten years in prison each. They were found guilty of leaking official secrets. According to Zulfiqar Bukhari, spokesman for Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, the court announced the verdict in a prison in Rawalpindi.
Khan, who was deposed by a parliamentary no-confidence vote in April 2022, is already serving a prison sentence in a bribery case. Khan, 71, was sentenced to three years in prison on August 5, 2023. He was accused of illegally selling state gifts during his term as prime minister from 2018 to 2022. The former cricket star is fighting in various courts to be released from prison.
Run for election uncertain
The latest ruling comes ahead of Pakistan's February 8 general election. Khan actually planned to lead his party in the general election campaign. There he wanted to compete against his arch-rival Nawaz Sharif, another former prime minister.
But if his convictions are not overturned, Khan will not be able to take part in the election. He is currently not on the ballot. Pakistan prohibits those with a criminal conviction from leading a political party, participating in elections, or holding public office.
Pakistan has a long history of political rivalries played out in legal disputes. Dozens of cases have been filed against Khan. He denies the allegations, which he says were concocted by his enemies, including the military, to keep him out of politics.
Khan's rival Nawaz Sharif was also once Pakistan's prime minister. In 1999, Sharif was backed by a coup and again forced out of office by a court ruling in 2017. In October 2023, Sharif returned home from his four-year exile to help his party stay in power.
czl/AP/Reuters