PTI chairman challenges indictment proceedings in cipher case

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Wednesday challenged the special court’s October 23 indictment order in cipher case in IHC, ARY News reported.

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

In his plea, the former prime minister stated that as per the law, charges can only be framed seven days after the distribution of the case copy. “The trial court overlooked constitutional requirement and indicted in haste,” it alleged.

The petitioner further maintained that a hasty trial may adversely affect fundamental constitutional rights and the due process of law. “Apex court did not provide directives to expedite the proceedings or to conduct the trial on a day-to-day basis,” the petitioner claimed.

The plaintiff urged the IHC to declare the Official Secrets Act Court’s order of October 23 as null and void.

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

The charge is related to a classified cable sent to Islamabad by Pakistan’s ambassador in Washington early last year, which Khan is accused of making public.

Both the politicians pleaded not guilty and refused to accept the charge sheet. Judge Abu Alhasnaat summoned witnesses at the next hearing on October 27.

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.

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.