Pakistan: Court Acquits Imran Khan in State Secrets Leak
Pakistan: Court Acquits Imran Khan in State Secrets Leak
The Facts
In a case concerning the disclosure of confidential government information, a court in Islamabad overturned on Monday the 10-year prison sentencing of ex-PM Imran Khan and former Foreign Ministery Shah Mahmood Qureshi.
On Monday, an Islamabad court reversed the 10-year jail sentence of Imran Khan, the former Prime Minister, and his ally, ex-Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, for disclosing classified government information.
The Spin
Sentences have been overturned, and the only thing keeping the 71-year-old former cricket star turned politician and prime minister of Pakistan out of jail is a seven-year prison sentence for breaching Pakistan's marital laws. Clearly, the efforts to prevent Khan from returning to power are politically driven. They've victimized his party and stolen the February national election. The authorities must immediately release Khan and his ally Qureshi.
Khan has been mired in controversy and scandals for years, and the mounting evidence is too much to ignore. Khan has used his power to subvert democracy, including his attempt to dissolve parliament to escape the no-confidence vote that ousted him. Now, he's using his platform to bring Pakistan to the brink of civil war. While Khan should be pursued legally for his wrongdoings, the government should be careful not to turn this political crisis into something worse.
