ISLAMABAD, Dec 13: Imran Khan, the imprisoned former Prime Minister of Pakistan, entered a plea of not guilty on Wednesday to charges of leaking state secrets, further diminishing his prospects of participating in the upcoming general election in February.

The accusations stem from the alleged disclosure of classified information contained in a cable sent to Islamabad by Pakistan's ambassador in Washington last year, which Khan is accused of making public.

"The charges were announced in the courtroom," stated government prosecutor Shah Khawar to Reuters, confirming that both Khan and his co-accused, former Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, denied the charges.

Challenging the indictment, Khan's lawyer, Barrister Gohar Khan, argued that its validity hinges on being signed by the accused. Khan has previously asserted that the cable's contents were already in the public domain from alternative sources.

A conviction under the Official Secrets Act could result in a sentence of up to 10 years, according to legal experts.

This marks the second time Khan faces indictment on these charges, as a previous one was dismissed by a superior court on technical grounds, citing procedural lapses. The trial is being held in jail due to security concerns, with Khan incarcerated since his conviction and three-year sentence on corruption charges on August 5.

Khan contends that the cable serves as evidence of a conspiracy involving the Pakistani military and the U.S. government to overthrow his administration in 2022, following his visit to Moscow just before Russia's invasion of Ukraine. These allegations have been refuted by both Washington and the Pakistani military.

The former international cricketer, who secured victory in the 2018 general election, has faced numerous legal challenges, with opponents asserting that his initial success was facilitated by military support. Khan's relationship with the military soured, primarily due to disagreements over the appointment of the chief of the main spy agency.

Despite the suspension of his graft sentence by a higher court, Khan remains in prison for other cases, including charges of instigating violence following one of his arrests. His disqualification from contesting elections due to the conviction remains in place, but his legal team is actively seeking bail and a reversal of the ban.

The recent indictment poses additional obstacles to Khan's potential release from jail, limiting his ability to campaign for his party ahead of the scheduled election on February 8.