"Toshakhana, cipher, and Iddat cases only highlight their frivolous, baseless, and politically motivated nature:" Imran Khan

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan has strongly denounced the recent sentences handed down to him in the Cipher and Toshakhana cases.

The former prime minister, who was jailed for 14 years in cipher case and 14 years in Toshakhana case, termed these rulings as "frivolous, baseless, and politically motivated."

"My Pakistanis, the unfolding of the Tosha-khana, Cypher, and Iddat cases only highlights their frivolous, baseless, and politically motivated nature," the ex-premier's team posted from his X account.

"When the cypher case emerged, I warned that unless we dealt with it decisively, no Prime Minister in the future would be able to withstand such blatant foreign interference in Pakistan’s internal matters. General Musharraf also surrendered to the US’ threats of “bombing Pakistan into stone age,” he added.

Khan criticised the handling of his cases, alleging that he was deprived of his legal rights, including the opportunity to cross-examine witnesses and present his own evidence.

"But, to appease their masters who orchestrated the regime change operation, I was deprived of my legal right of cross-examining the witness or presenting my witnesses, as the handlers knew that it would unmask another great betrayal in our political history just like that of Mir Jaffer of Bengal," the cricket-turned politician said.

He accused the authorities of rushing the proceedings in the Iddat case to create a narrative against his vision of establishing Pakistan on the principles of Riasat-e Madinah.

"Meanwhile, the iddat case has been expedited only because they want to create a narrative against my dream of establishing Pakistan on the principles of Riasat-e Madinah. Therefore, they are concluding it in haste without an iota of fairness in the trial just to announce me guilty."

Khan said that these cases lack any legal basis and are part of an ongoing political circus orchestrated to demoralise voters, especially the youth.

"Pakistanis, you must know that all of these cases have no legal basis; they are part of an on-going political circus in the country for the past 22 months. The hasty manner in which all these cases are being concluded, is for only one purpose which is to demoralise the voters, especially the youth. But, you must not be disheartened, as Allah is the ultimate planner," he added.

Mr Khan urged Pakistanis not to be disheartened by the verdicts, saying "Our most powerful and meaningful weapon is that of our vote, and we must wield it to overthrow crooks who have been imposed upon us."