Imran Khan was convicted of leaking state secrets a few days before the general elections in the country. His party announced that they would appeal the sentence.
The former foreign minister, Shah Mahmoud Qureshi, was also sentenced to ten years in prison on the same charges. Khan's aide, Zulfikar Bukhari, said that the purpose of the procedure is to damage the popularity of Khan, who is considered one of the most popular leaders in Pakistan. Khan combines populist views with nods to Islamism and nationalism while challenging the Islamic state's long-standing centers of power.