In a surprising turn of events, Imran Khan, the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), along with party leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi, has been handed a 10-year jail sentence in the cipher case, as reported by local media. The verdict was delivered by special court Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain during a hearing conducted at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi.
Imran Khan, addressing the media, expressed skepticism about the trial’s swiftness, insinuating that the outcome appeared predetermined. Accusing the judiciary of protecting U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu, Khan conveyed his willingness to engage in a dialogue with the establishment, emphasizing that recent events have cast doubt on the integrity of the general elections.
Furthermore, Khan laid blame on the Chief Justice of Pakistan for the arrests of PTI workers and pledged to seek an inquiry against those who refrained from participating in the election process. He also asserted that the return of PML(N) leader Nawaz Sharif to Pakistan was orchestrated under a deal with the establishment, challenging the current narrative and expressing readiness to organize a monumental rally if granted the opportunity. Additionally, Khan claimed that former army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa was allegedly brokering a deal for opposition leaders and proposed summoning Gen Bajwa, Donald Lu, and the military attaché as witnesses in the case.