IHC rejects PTI chief's plea to stop cipher case trial

ISLAMABAD: Islamabad High Court (IHC) has rejected Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan’s plea to stop cipher case trial, ARY News reported.

As per details, the plea was filed by the former prime minister and PTI chairman Imran Khan seeking to stop the cipher case trail.

The Islamabad High Court dismissed the plea and directed to provide a fair trial to PTI chairman Imran Khan.

Earlier today, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) reserved a verdict on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan’s plea challenging his indictment in the cipher case.

Read more: PTI chairman challenges indictment proceedings in cipher case

The IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq reserved the verdict after hearing arguments on PTI chief’s plea against his indictment in the cipher case.

Yesterday, Imran Khan challenged the special court’s October 23 indictment order in cipher case in IHC.

The former prime minister through his counsel, Salman Safdar, requested the court to declare the special court’s indictment proceedings in the cipher case null and void.

A special court indicted former Prime Minister Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi, the then foreign minister, in an official secrets acts case on Monday.

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

Read more: Cipher case: Witnesses list against PTI chief surfaces

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.