Cipher case hearing against PTI chairman, Qureshi adjourned without proceedings

ISLAMABAD: A special court on Wednesday adjourned a hearing of a cipher case against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman and Vice-Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi till October 9 without any proceedings, ARY News reported.

Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain heard the case in Adiala Jail under the Official Secrets Act 2023.

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) team, and the special prosecutor appeared before the court.

The PTI lawyers raised objections to the hearing of the case in Adiala jail and urged the court to adjourn the hearing until Islamabad High Court (IHC) decision on in-camera trial of their clients.

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Monday reserved verdict on the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) plea for an in-camera hearing on the PTI chairman bail in cipher case.

FIA Special Prosecutor Shah Khawar and PTI chairman’s lawyer Salman Safdar appeared before the court.

The FIA special prosecutor pleaded for an in-camera hearing on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s bail plea in the cipher case as it is fearful that an open court hearing could harm Pakistan’s diplomatic ties with other states if the matter is discussed publicly.

Earlier, the FIA submitted challan of the cipher case in a special court constituted under the Official Secrets Act. PTI chairman and Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi were indicted in the challan.

The FIA pleaded to the court for trial and conviction of the Chairman PTI and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

Cipher case

The first information report (FIR) was registered on August 15 under the Official Secrets Act. It was registered on the complaint of the Home Secretary.

Former prime minister Imran Khan and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi were nominated in the report, while names of former principal secretary Azam Khan and former planning minister Asad Umar were also mentioned.

According to the report, action also will be taken against Azam Khan and Asad Umar after the authorities reached the conclusion that they were also involved in misusing the classified documents.

The FIR stated that the former prime minister and foreign minister distorted the facts of the diplomatic cipher. “A conspiracy was launched to misuse the contents of the cipher to fulfill nefarious purposes”, it added. It further stated that former premier and top diplomat endangered the state interests.

The report claimed that former prime minister asked Azam Khan – the then principal secretary – to “manipulate the contents of cipher”. “The former premier deliberately kept the copy of diplomatic cipher, which was sent to the PM office”, it added.