Cipher case: IHC turns down plea to stay trial court proceedings

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday turned down a plea moved by the former prime minister and PTI founder to stay proceedings of the trial court in cipher case.

IHC Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb took up PTI founder’s plea against his jail trial in cipher case.

During proceedings, the PTI founder’s counsel prayed to the court to stop the trial of the cipher case till the next date of hearing.

IHC judge while summoning the report from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) by December 20, rejected the PTI founder’s plea to immediately halt the proceedings of the trial court in the case.

Justice Aurangzeb remarked he would wait for the report. He said a judge could choose jail for trial of the accused but that should be an open court.

The court issued notice for December 20 on the plea seeking a stay order.

On Wednesday, former prime minister Imran Khan and PTI vice-chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi were indicted by a special court in cipher case again.

Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain of the special court heard the case against Imran and Qureshi. This was the second time that the PTI leaders were indicted.

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

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 the former premier and top diplomat endangered the state interests.