On Friday, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) dismissed former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s requests for bail and the annulment of the First Information Report (FIR) in the cipher case. IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq delivered the court’s decision today, following the completion of arguments from both sides, which had been reserved since October 16.
During the previous hearing, Imran Khan’s lawyer, Sardar Latif Khosa, argued that an FIR should not have been filed against his client since the federal cabinet had declassified the cipher during the former prime minister’s term. He also claimed that Article 248 of the Constitution provided immunity for the prime minister, protecting them from legal action for their actions.
Another counsel for Imran Khan, Barrister Salman Safdar, argued that Section 5 of the Official Secrets Act did not apply to the cipher case. He explained that this section was meant for sharing sensitive information with foreigners, which was not the case in the FIR against the PTI chairman.
Imran Khan and the party’s vice chairman, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, are facing charges of misusing a secret document for political gain and have been indicted by a special court formed under the Official Secrets Act. They are currently in custody at Adiala jail.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) submitted a charge sheet, stating that both Imran Khan and the ex-foreign minister were found guilty in the matter and requested the court to conduct their trial and sentence them. The FIA also named Azam Khan, Imran Khan’s former principal secretary, as a “strong witness” in the case and attached his statements. It was revealed that Imran Khan had a copy of the cipher but did not return it.
Read More: Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi Indicted in Cipher Case
Furthermore, the FIA submitted a transcript of Khan and Qureshi’s speech on March 27, the day when Imran Khan displayed a letter, claiming it was a cipher from a foreign nation that wanted his government to be removed from power. The agency also provided a list of 28 witnesses who had recorded their statements under Section 161, including former foreign secretaries and additional foreign secretary Faisal Niaz Tirmizi. Former PTI secretary-general Asad Umar was not added to the list of accused.
During the previous hearing, Imran Khan’s lawyer, Sardar Latif Khosa, argued that an FIR should not have been filed against his client since the federal cabinet had declassified the cipher during the former prime minister’s term. He also claimed that Article 248 of the Constitution provided immunity for the prime minister, protecting them from legal action for their actions.
Another counsel for Imran Khan, Barrister Salman Safdar, argued that Section 5 of the Official Secrets Act did not apply to the cipher case. He explained that this section was meant for sharing sensitive information with foreigners, which was not the case in the FIR against the PTI chairman.
Imran Khan and the party’s vice chairman, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, are facing charges of misusing a secret document for political gain and have been indicted by a special court formed under the Official Secrets Act. They are currently in custody at Adiala jail.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) submitted a charge sheet, stating that both Imran Khan and the ex-foreign minister were found guilty in the matter and requested the court to conduct their trial and sentence them. The FIA also named Azam Khan, Imran Khan’s former principal secretary, as a “strong witness” in the case and attached his statements. It was revealed that Imran Khan had a copy of the cipher but did not return it.
Furthermore, the FIA submitted a transcript of Khan and Qureshi’s speech on March 27, the day when Imran Khan displayed a letter, claiming it was a cipher from a foreign nation that wanted his government to be removed from power. The agency also provided a list of 28 witnesses who had recorded their statements under Section 161, including former foreign secretaries and additional foreign secretary Faisal Niaz Tirmizi. Former PTI secretary-general Asad Umar was not added to the list of accused.
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has denied former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s requests for bail and the cancellation of the First Information Report (FIR) in the cipher case. The decision was announced by IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq after arguments from both sides were completed.
During the previous hearing, Imran Khan’s lawyer, Sardar Latif Khosa, argued that an FIR should not have been filed against his client since the federal cabinet had declassified the cipher during the former prime minister’s term. He also claimed that Article 248 of the Constitution provided immunity for the prime minister, protecting them from legal action for their actions.
Another counsel for Imran Khan, Barrister Salman Safdar, argued that Section 5 of the Official Secrets Act did not apply to the cipher case. He explained that this section was meant for sharing sensitive information with foreigners, which was not the case in the FIR against the PTI chairman.
Imran Khan and the party’s vice chairman, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, are facing charges of misusing a secret document for political gain and have been indicted by a special court formed under the Official Secrets Act. They are currently in custody at Adiala jail.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) submitted a charge sheet, stating that both Imran Khan and the ex-foreign minister were found guilty in the matter and requested the court to conduct their trial and sentence them. The FIA also named Azam Khan, Imran Khan’s former principal secretary, as a “strong witness” in the case and attached his statements. It was revealed that Imran Khan had a copy of the cipher but did not return it.
Furthermore, the FIA submitted a transcript of Khan and Qureshi’s speech on March 27, the day when Imran Khan displayed a letter, claiming it was a cipher from a foreign nation that wanted his government to be removed from power. The agency also provided a list of 28 witnesses who had recorded their statements under Section 161, including former foreign secretaries and additional foreign secretary Faisal Niaz Tirmizi. Former PTI secretary-general Asad Umar was not added to the list of accused.
