IHC declares in-camera proceedings in cypher case 'null and void'
- By Hussain Ahmed Chaudhry -
- Jan 11, 2024
ISLAMABAD: Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday declared the in-camera proceedings in the cypher case null and void, ARY News reported.
As per details, the IHC judge Justice Gul Hasan Aurangzeb announced the five-page reserved verdict and declared the special court’s December 14 verdict regarding the in-camera proceedings in cypher case.
On December 14, the special court approved the in-camera hearing plea of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and Shah Mehmood Qureshi’s bail application in a cipher case.
However, today the IHC declared all proceedings in cypher case since December 14, illegal. The verdict stated that the in-camera hearings of cypher case post December 14 have no legal status.
Earlier, the special court Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain issued a safe verdict related to the in-camera trial and approved the in-camera hearing plea of the prosecution under section 14-A.
The court in its verdict allowed access to the family members to the courtroom during the next in-camera hearing of the cipher case.
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 reach the conclusion that they were also involved in misusing the classified documents.
Related: Cipher case: Special court to hold in-camera trial of PTI founder, Qureshi
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.