Pakistan ex-PM Imran Khan sentenced to 10 years in prison in cipher case
Islamabad (PTI): Former prime minister Imran Khan and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi were on Tuesday sentenced to 10 years each in prison in the cipher case.
The decision was announced by special court Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain during the hearing of the case held at the Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi.
Khan's party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) confirmed the development by saying that it was a "sham case with no access to media or public."
"Legal team will challenge the decision in a higher court and hopefully will get this sentence suspended, given the poor proceedings of a case when Islamabad High Court had clearly annuled proceedings twice, ordered access to media and public but on the contrary, access of legal team was denied, and decision reached in a haste," the party said in WhatsApp message.
The cipher case pertains to a piece of paper, purported to be a diplomatic cable -- the cipher -- that Khan had waved at a public rally on March 27, 2022, and naming the US, had claimed that it was evidence' of an "international conspiracy" to topple his government.
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Attacks on Christians contradict PM's message of harmony, visit to church: Gehlot
Jaipur (PTI): Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday expressed concern over the reported attacks and disruptions in prayer gatherings of the Christian community in different parts of the country, saying such incidents were "worrying and condemnable".
In a post on X, Gehlot said that while the Prime Minister Narendra Modi was visiting a church and giving a message of peace and harmony, news of attacks on members of the Christian community from various regions reflected a serious contradiction.
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"Symbolic gestures would not be enough, and strict legal action was required against those spreading hatred," the senior Congress leader said.
He added that Indian culture has always upheld the spirit of "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam", where every citizen has full freedom to practise their faith.
Gehlot urged the Centre and state governments to uphold the rule of law and ensure that no citizen is forced to celebrate their festival under fear.
