The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday reserved its verdict over Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s bail petition in the cipher case.
The case revolves around a missing diplomatic document reportedly containing a threat from the United States to remove Khan from office.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) submitted a charge sheet in the Special Court under the Official Secrets Act, naming Imran Khan and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi as the principal accused in the cipher case.
Imran Khan filed several petitions in the IHC, including requests to stay his jail trial and obtain bail in the cipher case.
Imran Khan was convicted and sentenced to three years in prison in the Toshakhana graft case on August 5, 2023. He was later transferred to Attock jail, with his sentence being suspended by the IHC. However, he remained in custody due to his judicial remand in the cipher case.
During today’s hearing, Special Prosecutor Raja Rizwan Abbasi argued that the cipher case fell under the non-bailable category of the Official Secrets Act. He emphasized that the document in question was top secret and could not be shared.
Abbasi asserted that Imran Khan had disclosed this confidential information to the public without authorization, violating the Act.
The IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq questioned the procedures related to the communication of such classified documents. Abbasi clarified that the document fell under the second category, which prohibited disclosure.
The prosecutor highlighted that Imran Khan, as the prime minister, was not exempted from Article 248 of the Constitution, indicating that the PTI chief could face severe penalties, including life imprisonment or death, if convicted in the cipher case.
In a parallel development, the IHC disposed of Imran Khan’s plea against holding the cipher case trial in Adiala Jail. The court directed Khan to approach the special court established under the Official Secrets Act regarding this matter.
The order stated that Imran Khan could raise his reservations about the jail trial in the trial court.
