Court asks FIA to submit challan on September 26.
Judicial remand of Imran Khan & SM Qureshi in cipher case extended till Sept 26. A special court established under the Official Secrets Act extended Wednesday Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and party’s Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s judicial remand till September 26 in the cipher case.
Khan has been imprisoned in jail since his conviction in the Toshakhana case on August 5 for failing to properly declare gifts he received while in office.
While the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had overturned a lower court’s decision to jail him for three years with a Rs100,000 fine — a judgment that kept him from contesting upcoming elections, he remains behind bars due to his arrest in the cipher case.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) officially arrested the former prime minister and the former foreign minister in the cipher case last month after booking them under the Official Secrets Act.
During the hearing today, Judge Zulqarnain directed the FIA to submit a challan on September 26 in the cipher case, said the sources.
Qureshi was taken into custody from his residence in Islamabad in the same case on August 19 while Khan was arrested in the cipher case while he was serving the sentence in Attock jail.
“Consequent upon the conclusion of the enquiry No. 111/2023 dated 05.10.2022, registered in the CTW, FIA Islamabad, 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 communications of information contained in the secret classified document (Cipher Telegram received from Parep. Washington dated 7th March, 2022 to Secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs) to the unauthorised person (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,” read first information report (FIR) registered against the PTI leaders.
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The Law Ministry had established the special court under the Official Secrets Act to conduct the hearing on the cipher case and anti-terrorism court (ATC) Judge Zulqarnain was given an additional charge to hear the matter.
A day earlier, the IHC reserved its verdict on Khan’s petition challenging the Law Ministry’s notification to hold his trial in Attock jail citing security concerns.
‘Imran Khan is irreplaceable’
Speaking to the media person outside the court, Qureshi said his party had never betrayed the country and never will do so in the future.
“I am sure that I have never betrayed my country and if I have been a traitor, then I should be hanged,” he added.
“I have always defended institutions as a foreign minister.”
Qureshi asserted that no one can replace Imran Khan as PTI chief, saying that there is no ambiguity about it.
“There is only one party chairman and there isn’t any ambiguity surrounding this matter,” he remarked.
Qureshi further maintained that Pakistan was suffering from economic and constitutional crisis and demanded transparent elections in the country.
Denying his involvement in the May 9 riots, the senior PTI leader said he was taking care of his ailing wife at the time.
Speaking about the Adiala jail conditions, Qureshi said he was not allowed to walk outside like other prisoners.
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