Cipher Case Update: PTI Chairman Files Bail Plea in IHC - Latest Legal Development

ISLAMABAD: According to ARY News, the former prime minister and PTI chairman has applied for bail in the issue of the missing cipher at the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

Through his attorney Salman Safdar, the PTI chairman submitted a bail petition.

A special court constituted under the Official Secrets Act rejected Shah Mahmood Qureshi's and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) bail requests on Thursday in the cipher case.

Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain of the Special Court rendered the decision and heard the bail pleas after hearing the arguments made by the PTI's legal representatives.

The pre-arrest bail given to former federal minister and PTI leader Asad Umar in the same case earlier in the day was confirmed by the same court.

Umar received pre-arrest bail on August 22 from the same court presided over by Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain in exchange for a Rs 100,000 surety bond.

On August 5, Imran Khan, the PTI chairman, was convicted guilty in the Toshakhana case and given a prison term. By August 29, the IHC had delayed his sentencing.

However, a special court had ordered that he be kept in "judicial lockup" in connection with the cipher case by the Attock jail staff.

Cipher case

The first information report (FIR) under the Official Secrets Act was submitted on August 15. It was documented in response to the Home Secretary's complaint.

The names of former principal secretary Azam Khan and former planning minister Asad Umar were also listed in the report, along with former prime minister Imran Khan and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

Action will reportedly be taken against Azam Khan and Asad Umar as well after the authorities determined that they were also involved in utilizing the secret documents improperly.

The previous foreign minister and prime minister forged facts on the diplomatic cipher, claims the FIR. "A conspiracy was started to use the cipher's information for evil purposes," it said. It continued by claiming that the former premier and top diplomat had hurt the interests of the state.

The paper claims that the former prime minister gave Azam Khan, his principal secretary, instructions to "manipulate the contents of cipher." The statement stated, "The former premier kept the copy of the diplomatic cipher that was sent to the PM office on purpose."