Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan can be charged with treason in the Cypher case, Geo news reported quoting defence minister Asif Khawaja as saying. The minister said that the Cypher gate and subsequent charges could lead to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief’s disqualification from holding public office in the future as he “used a diplomatic cypher for political purposes and he could be charged with treason for using the classified document for vested interest”.
In the Cypher case, Imran Khan is accused of using Pakistan’s secret information for political milestones and personal use.
“Article 6 can be imposed on the PTI chief,” Asif Khwaja said while referring to the law that deals with high treason under which an accused can be sentenced to death and life imprisonment.
Earlier on Thursday, Imran Khan termed the revival of the cypher controversy “an attempt to disqualify him” from contesting elections by the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM)-led government.
Addressing his supporters virtually, the PTI chief accused PM Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Asif Ali Zardari, and others of hatching a plot to remove him from the political arena, Geo News had reported.
Moreover, on Thursday, law minister Azam Khan said that the PTI chief “can be sentenced to up to 14 years for using diplomatic cypher for political purposes”.
On Wednesday, Pakistan’s interior minister Rana Sanaullah said that the government will open criminal proceedings against Imran Khan on charges of exposing official secrets. The 70-year-old former cricket hero lost power in a vote of no confidence in April 2022. Imran Khan waved a piece of paper in a public gathering shortly after his removal saying that he was holding a copy of a secret diplomatic letter, which spoke of dire consequences if he continued getting closer to Russia.
Source : Hindustan News
