Daily Times

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and the party’s Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi Wednesday were reportedly indicted in the cipher case again.

The two leaders were indicted by the special court established under the Official Secrets Act 2023. Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain issued the verdict that framed charges against the PTI leaders. Both politicians have pleaded not guilty to their involvement in the offence related to the alleged misuse of diplomatic cable for political purposes.

This was the second time that the PTI leaders were indicted.

During the hearing of the case, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Special Prosecutors Shah Khawar and Zulfiqar Abbas Naqvi appeared in the court, while Khan and Qureshi were represented by lawyers Usman Gul and Barrister Taimur Malik, respectively.

Following Khan and Qureshi’s indictment, the regular trial of the cipher case on the charges of leaking state secrets on October 23 will begin in Adiala jail in Rawalpindi.

The case’s hearing was also held on Tuesday during which the family members of the PTI leaders were also present. A few reporters were also allowed inside the courtroom to witness the proceedings. During Tuesday’s hearing, the PTI lawyers submitted six separate petitions in the court pertaining to incomplete documents in the case challan, media access and jail trial notification.

Meanwhile, Khan’s lawyer Salman Safdar argued that the proceedings were being conducted in a “hasty manner”, adding that the PTI had challenged two verdicts issued under the Official Secrets Act in the IHC. However, the FIA prosecutor highlighted that the high court had not stopped the special court from conducting the proceedings. He also urged the court to complete the indictment process.

Judge Zulqarnain said he would take all the decisions on the basis of merit, adding that he was hearing the case impartially.

However, Imran’s lawyers have said that their client was not indicted in the cipher case, but the government lawyers are insisting that both of them have been indicted.