A special court established to address the cipher case under the Official Secrets Act made a decisive move on Monday, indicting Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi.
The indictment took place during the case proceeding at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, presided over by Special Court Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain.
Despite attempts by the accused to halt the indictment through a petition under CrPC 265-D, Judge Zulqarnain rejected the plea, proceeding with the formal charges.
Both Khan and Qureshi, currently detained at Adiala Jail, have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The charges stem from a cipher case initiated in August under the Official Secrets Act 1923. The case centers around a missing diplomatic cable, reportedly containing a threat from the US to remove the PTI government. Khan and Qureshi were accused of misusing this state secret.
The controversy dates back to March 27, 2022, when Khan, in a public rally, waved a letter before the crowd, alleging it to be a cipher from a foreign nation conspiring with his political rivals to overthrow the PTI government. The contents of the letter were never revealed publicly.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) presented a detailed charge sheet, asserting that Khan and Qureshi were found guilty in the matter. Former PTI secretary-general Asad Umar’s name was notably absent from the list of accused, while Khan’s former principal secretary Azam Khan was named as a “strong witness” in the case.
Azam’s statements and a transcript of Khan and Qureshi’s speech on March 27 were included as evidence.
The FIA has also compiled a list of 28 witnesses, including former foreign secretaries and additional foreign secretaries, to testify in the case. The prosecution will present evidence, followed by the testimonies and statements of the accused.
The court has issued notices to the witnesses, scheduling their appearance on October 27. The case has been adjourned until then.
