In the cypher case, a special court created under the Official Secrets Act denied the bail requests of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi in Islamabad.
PTI chairman Shah Mahmood’s bail rejected: After hearing the arguments from PTI’s attorneys, Special Court Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain pronounced the verdict and heard the bail requests.
The same court confirmed the pre-arrest bail granted earlier in the day to former federal minister and PTI leader Asad Umar in the same case.
Umar received pre-arrest bail on August 22 from the same court presided over by Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain in exchange for a Rs 100,000 surety bond.
Imran Khan, the chairman of the PTI, was found guilty in the Toshakhana case and sentenced to prison on August 5. The IHC had postponed his punishment as of August 29.
“However, a special court ordered the Attock jail staff to keep him in ‘judicial lockup’ in connection with the cypher case.”
A petition challenging the law ministry’s decision to hold the trial in the cypher case at Attock jail was filed by the PTI chairman. On Tuesday, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) reserved judgment in this matter.
After hearing the arguments, IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq reserved his decision regarding the PTI chairman’s request. In response to the notification, the court had requested an explanation from the respondents.
Case cypher
“In response to the Home Secretary’s complaint, they recorded the first information report (FIR) for the Official Secrets Act on August 15.”
The report listed the names of former principal secretary Azam Khan and former planning minister Asad Umar, as well as former prime minister Imran Khan and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.
“Reportedly, authorities have determine that Azam Khan and Asad Umar were also involve in improperly utilizing the secret documents, and they are expect to face action as a result.”
According to the FIR, the former foreign minister and prime minister fabricated information on the diplomatic cypher. Further, The statement continued, detailing the initiation of a conspiracy to misuse the information from the cipher for nefarious purposes. The statement also highlighted that the former premier and senior diplomat had harmed the state’s interests.
However, The report stated that the former prime minister directed Azam Khan, his previous principal secretary, to “manipulate the contents of the cypher.” The statement continued to explain that the former premier intentionally retained a copy of the diplomatic cypher sent to the PM office.