On Tuesday, the Official Secrets Act special court, presided over by Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqernain, sentenced former Prime Minister Imran Khan and ex-Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi to 10 years in prison in the cipher case. The case revolves around an unrecovered diplomatic document, as per the Federal Investigation Agency’s charge sheet, which allegedly contains a threat from the United States to remove Imran as prime minister, a claim long asserted by the PTI.
The verdict was delivered during proceedings held in Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi. Judge Zulqernain stated that the prosecution presented substantial evidence supporting the charges. Notably, the judge has been overseeing the case’s hearings in Adiala Jail since its initiation last year.
Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood were present in the courtroom for the pronouncement of the decision, and it’s noteworthy that both individuals are already incarcerated in Adiala Jail in connection with the case.
Earlier on the same day, Imran Khan challenged the appointment of state defense counsels in the cipher case at the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
