Imran Khan, Shah Mehmood indicted again in cypher case

Former prime minister and ex-chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan and the party's vice chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi were indicted in the cypher case again on Wednesday, Aaj News reported.

The special court established under the Official Secrets Act on Tuesday had deferred the indictment of both the PTI leaders in the cypher case till today (December 13).

Special court's Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain issued the verdict that framed charges against the two PTI leaders.

Khan and Qureshi were initially indicted in the case on October 23. Both had pleaded not guilty. The hearing was held at the Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi.

However, on November 21, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) declared the Law Ministry’s notification dated August 29 for the jail trial of Imran Khan as “to be without lawful authority and no legal effect.”

Cypher case background

A case was registered against Imran and PTI leader 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 (cypher 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.