Chairman PTI and Shah Mehmood Qureshi could not be charged in the cipher case. The court has scheduled the indictment proceedings for the next hearing. During the hearing, both the accused and their legal team were present in the court room.
Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain heard the cipher case in a special court established under the Official Secrets Act in Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi.
Due to non-distribution of copies of the challan at the previous hearing, indictment proceedings could not take place, but today the court distributed the copies of the challan among the accused and adjourned the hearing of the cipher case for a week.
The court has scheduled the indictment proceedings for the next hearing. During the hearing, both the accused and their legal team were present in the court room.
Earlier, Spell Prosecutor FIA Shah Khawar while talking to the media outside Adiala Jail said that today the hearing is scheduled for indictment. At the previous hearing, the accused refused to receive the copy of the challan. It is ordered that the charge sheet will be filed today. Now let’s see what happens.
Shah Khawar said that after the indictment, the evidence of the prosecution is recorded and the trial of the case begins, after the testimony of the witnesses is completed, the statement of the accused is made.
Before today’s hearing, Chairman PTI’s spokesperson Umeer Niazi while talking to the media outside Adiala Jail said that only copies should be distributed in today’s hearing, copies were not distributed in the previous hearing.
Umair Niazi said that the court did not approve the request of Section 14 of the prosecution, the hearing in the jail should not be in-camera, the media should have access to it and will discuss it today.
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What is cypher case in Pakistan
Analysis of the Cipher Case: A Boon for PTI and a Breather for Imran Khan
As I sit down to analyze the recent developments in the cipher case, I am compelled to highlight the significance of this turn of events for Pakistan’s embattled opposition leader, Imran Khan, and his party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). The cipher case, which had been hanging over Imran Khan’s head like the sword of Damocles, has finally yielded a breakthrough, albeit temporarily.
For the uninitiated, the cipher case refers to a controversy surrounding a diplomatic communication that Imran Khan allegedly mishandled during his tenure as Prime Minister of Pakistan. The case has been shrouded in mystery, with many questioning its legitimacy and the motives behind it.
According to recent news reports [[1]], the Islamabad High Court (IHC) has acquitted Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi, the former Foreign Minister, in the cipher case. This verdict comes as a major boost to the PTI and a personal reprieve for Imran Khan, who had been facing the specter of a 10-year jail term [[2]].
The cipher case has been a major thorn in Imran Khan’s side since his ouster as Prime Minister. The case was seen by many as a witch-hunt, aimed at discrediting the former Premier and crippling his chances of returning to power. The acquittal, although provisional, has injected a new lease of life into Imran Khan’s political career, which was rapidly losing steam.
The acquittal is also a testament to the judicial system’s ability to withstand external pressures. The IHC’s verdict has raised hopes that the judiciary will deliver a fair verdict, unaffected by the intense politicking that has characterized this case.
However, this breather may be short-lived. The court has scheduled the indictment proceedings for the next hearing, which could still land Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi in trouble. The case is far from over, and the prosecution may yet muster enough evidence to secure a conviction.
the acquittal of Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the cipher case is a significant development that has far-reaching implications for Pakistan’s politics. While this verdict has provided a temporary reprieve for the PTI, it remains to be seen whether the party will be able to capitalize on this momentum to regain its lost ground. One thing is certain, however: the cipher case has breathed new life into Imran Khan’s politics, and he will undoubtedly seek to exploit this reprieve to revive his party’s flagging fortunes.
References:
[1] https://www.dawn.com/news/1837519
[2] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/1/30/what-is-the-cypher-case-that-led-to-jail-term-for-pakistans-imran-khan
[3] https://www.dawn.com/news/1809800
