The hearing of the cipher case against former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan will be held at Attock Jail tomorrow (Wednesday), Aaj News reported on Tuesday.
A notification issued by the law ministry late on Tuesday stated that the hearing will be conducted in Attock Jail – where the former premier is incarcerated – due to “security issues.”
The notification stated that the Ministry of Law and Justice has permitted the hearing of cipher case against the former prime minister in Attock jail.
The development comes hours after the Islamabad High Court (IHC) reserved its verdict on a petition filed by PTI Chairman Imran Khan challenging the decision to conduct the trial in the cipher case at Attock Jail.
IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq presided over the hearing in which lawyer Sher Afzal Marwat appeared on behalf of the former PM.
Imran has been imprisoned since August 5 following his arrest in the Toshakhana case and is currently being held in Attock Jail.
During the last hearing, the IHC judge had sought replies from the federal and Punjab governments to a petition filed by Imran seeking a transfer from Attock Jail to Adiala Jail.
Last month, anti-terrorism court (ATC) Judge Abul Hasnat Muhammad Zulqarnain conducted the cipher case hearing at Attock Jail after the Ministry of Law and Justice issued a notification that the trial would be held in Attock Jail due to “security concerns”
The case in question is related to the “misuse” of alleged contents of a diplomatic cipher, cited by ex-premier Imran as proof of an attempt to remove his government.
Cipher case background
A case was registered against Imran and PTI leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi under Sections 5 and 9 of the Official Secrets Act 1923.
According to the copy of the FIR registered on August 15, consequent upon the conclusion of inquiry No 111/2023 upon the complaint registered in the Counter Terrorism Wing (CTW), FIA, 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 the communication of information contained in the 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 the facts to achieve their “ulterior motives” and personal gains in a manner prejudicial to the interests of state security.
Qureshi has also been arrested in the same case.
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