RAWALPINDI: Oct 17: Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) chairman, Imran Khan and former Foreign minister, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, will be indicted in cypher case on next hearing fixed for October 23. Both accused had refused to accept the charge sheet on the last hearing which resulted in delay in indictment of both PTI leaders. However, they accepted the challans (charge sheet0 today (Tuesday).
The special court of justice Abdul Hasnat Zulquirnain adjourned the hearing into the case for October 19. After acceptance of challan (Charge sheet) former prime minister, Imran Khan and former Foreign minister, Shah Mahmood Qureshi will be indicted on the next hearing.
Today, both PTI leaders Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi were present in the special court which assembled in Adiala jail in Rawalpindi.
Shah Khawar advocate and Afzal Marwat advocate, counsels for Imran Khan, were also present in the court. The Federal Investigation Authority (FIA) team was also present in the court today (Tuesday) and everybody in the court room was expecting indictment of PTI leaders in cypher case. Former prime minister, Imran Khan and Foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi have been accused of violating the Official Secret Act 1923
According to the FIR, a case under sections 5 and 9 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923 r/w 34 PPC has been registered against the former premier and former foreign minister.
They have been accused of wrongful communication/ use of official secret information and illegal retention of cipher telegram (official secret document) with mala fide intention, whereas the role of the former PM’s aide Muhammad Azam Khan, former federal minister Asad Umar and other associates involved will be ascertained during the course of investigations.
It said Imran, Qureshi and their other associates are involved in the communication of information contained in 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 facts to achieve their ulterior motives and personal gains in a manner prejudicial to the interests of state security.
They held a clandestine meeting at Banigala on March 28, 2022 to conspire to misuse the contents of cipher in order to accomplish their nefarious designs.
The accused, Imran, with mala fide directed the former principal secretary Azam Khan to prepare the minutes of said clandestine meeting by manipulating the contents of cipher message to use it for his vested interest at the cost of national safety.
Moreover, the numbered and accountable copy of cipher telegram sent to the PM Office was deliberately kept in his custody by the former PM with mala fide intention, and was never returned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The said cipher telegram (official secret document classified as such) is still in the illegal possession/retention of the accused Imran.
The unauthorised retention and misuse of the cipher telegram by the accused persons compromised the entire cipher security system of the state and the secret communication method of Pakistani missions abroad.
