Shah Mehmood moves IHC against conviction in cipher case

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) vice chairman and former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Friday moved Islamabad High Court (IHC) against the conviction in cipher case, ARY News reported.

On Jan 30, a special court established under the Official Secrets Act handed both former prime minister Imran Khan and ex-foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi 10 years in jail in the cipher case.

As per details, Shah Mehmood Qureshi filed the plea against the cipher case conviction and urged IHC to declare the trial court’s January 30 verdict null and void.

The plea stated that the trial of cipher case was not proceeded as per the law and the process was violated in the trial which started on August 15.

Related: PTI chairman, Shah Mehmood Qureshi indicted in cipher case

It is important to mention here that the cipher case pertains to a diplomatic document that the Federal Investigation Agency’s charge sheet alleges was never returned by Imran. The PTI claimed the document contained a threat from the United States to oust Imran as prime minister.

Imran Khan and Shah Mehmood Qureshi were facing trial in cipher case in Adiala Jail from last year for ‘distorting’ the facts of the diplomatic cipher.

Both the PTI leaders were accused of conspiracy to misuse the contents of the cipher to fulfill nefarious purposes.

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 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.