“After doing a considerable damage to Pak-US relationship in terms of trust and confidence, and when he apparently realized the consequences of his manipulative anti-US campaign towards his political prospects, the accused Imran Ahmed Khan Niazi began to falsely accuse the Pakistan’s military leadership of conspiracy to oust him from power,” the detailed judgement stated.

A special court formed under the Official Secrets Act sentenced on Tuesday Khan to 10 years in jail for leaking official secrets, a major blow to him ahead of the general elections.

The case pertains to a diplomatic cable that allegedly went missing while in his possession. The PTI founder, in a rally before the no-trust vote, cited the cable as proof that the US had been part of a conspiracy behind his fall from power in 2022. But he denied taking it from the foreign ministry.

The legal proceedings were held in the prison in Rawalpindi where Khan was being detained. They were conducted behind closed doors, which Khan’s lawyers protested was unconstitutional.

It was clear from the evidence brought on record that by compromising the integrity of cypher communications system, Khan, in connivance with the accused, Shah Mehmood Qureshi “compromised Pakistan’s international standing, the credibility and standing of our diplomats and diplomacy with adverse implications for our future diplomatic reporting culture.”

The 77-page judgement said that Pakistan has faced consequences of such actions.

“It is evident that Pakistan has faced serious economic, diplomatic and political consequences due to the offences committed by the accused Imran Ahmed Khan Niazi and Shah Mehmood Qureshi, which in turn weakened Pakistan’s economy thus, adversely affecting the national security.”

The decision authored by Abual Hasnat Muhammad Zulqarnain, the special court judge, stated that Pakistan’s standing at various international organizations was adversely affected by the offences committed by the accused and has benefited foreign powers, who are not necessarily friendly towards Pakistan.

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Moreover, Pakistan’s former ambassador to the US said that in his communication he did not use the word “threat or conspiracy.”

He went on to add that it was a political conclusion drawn by the leadership in Islamabad.

“The cypher episode was a setback to Pakistan US bilateral relationship and carried adverse implication for future diplomatic reporting culture.”