Shah Mahmood Qureshi was sentenced to 10 years every in jail for leaking state secrets and techniques

Islamabad:

Pakistan’s election fee has disqualified Shah Mahmood Qureshi, a detailed aide of jailed ex-prime minister Imran Khan, from contesting elections for 5 years after the previous overseas minister was sentenced to 10 years every in jail for leaking state secrets and techniques.

The disqualification of Qureshi, 67, comes 5 days earlier than the February 8 normal elections, which Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf social gathering is contesting regardless of a state crackdown and with out its well-known election image, the bat.

The announcement comes days after a particular courtroom, established below the Official Secrets and techniques Act, awarded Qureshi 10 years imprisonment within the high-profile cypher case together with Khan. Citing the particular courtroom’s judgement dated January 30, 2024, the Election Fee of Pakistan (ECP) mentioned that any convicted particular person, in accordance with the Structure and the legislation, can’t take part in elections, The Categorical Tribune reported.

“As a consequence, Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi has turn out to be disqualified below Article 63(1)(h) of the Structure of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan learn with Part 232 of the Elections Act, 2017. Due to this fact, Mr Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi is disqualified to contest Basic Elections-2024 and any subsequent elections for a interval of 5 years,” the ECP mentioned on Saturday.

The cipher case pertains to a chunk of paper, presupposed 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 ‘proof’ of an “worldwide conspiracy” to topple his authorities.

The case was filed towards Khan, 71, and Qureshi on August 15 final 12 months by the Federal Investigation Company, which accused each of violating the secrecy legal guidelines whereas dealing with the cable despatched by the Pakistan embassy in Washington in March 2022.

Earlier, Khan has additionally been barred from politics for 5 years. 

(Aside from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is revealed from a syndicated feed.)