The court has granted a leave of absence until September 8 to Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain, who is overseeing the cypher case against Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
cypher case judge goes on leave: Imran’s attorney Naeem Haider Panjutha stated in a video that when the legal team got at the court, they discovered that Judge Zulqarnain was on leave for a week.
Additionally, he claimed that they asked Administrative Judge Raja Jawad Abbas to preside over the case, but that he declined, claiming that he lacked the authority to do so.
As Judge Zulqarnain is on leave, Panjutha said they will now approach the Islamabad High Court to determine who can hear the case.
The cypher case in question concerns the alleged “misuse” of a diplomatic cipher’s contents, which former premier Imran used as evidence of a coup attempt while Qureshi served as foreign minister.
Authorities have detained Qureshi in Adiala Jail and housed the PTI chairman in Attock Jail in connection with the case.
Cypher case history
Imran and Qureshi were the targets of a case under Sections 5 and 9 of the Official Secrets Act of 1923.
According to the copy of the FIR registered on August 15, consequent upon the conclusion of inquiry No 111/2023 upon the complaint registered in the Counter Terrorism Wing (CTW), FIA, it transpired that former prime minister namely, Imran Ahmad Khan Niazi, former foreign minister namely, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, and their other associates are involved in the communication of information contained in the secret classified document (cipher telegram received from Parep Washington dated March 7, 2022, to secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs) to the unauthorised persons (i.e., public at large) by twisting the facts to achieve their “ulterior motives” and personal gains in a manner prejudicial to the interests of state security.