Former Pakistani PM Imran Khan Faces Potential Life Sentence for Allegedly Exposing Controversial Diplomatic Cipher

Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan could face a potential life sentence if found guilty of jeopardizing national security by exposing a controversial diplomatic communication known as "cypher." The allegations stem from Khan's use of a cable sent by the Pakistan embassy in Washington last year, in which he accused the US of orchestrating his ouster from power.

Pakistan's law minister, Azam Nazeer Tarar, stated that leaking an official secret carries a minimum punishment of two years, but if the cypher was made public and its contents leaked for vested interests, the accused could be sentenced to up to 14 years. Tarar emphasized that the cypher, being an official classified document, should not be made public or shared with anyone. He revealed that Imran Khan has been summoned by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for interrogation on July 25 in relation to this matter.

Tarar also highlighted that national security was compromised by Khan's use of the cypher during a political rally, and stressed that the case against the former premier will be thoroughly investigated. The saga surrounding the cypher arose after Azam Khan, a former PM's aide, made a statement alleging that Khan used it for political purposes. Khan is already embroiled in numerous other cases following his downfall last year.