Imran, Qureshi to be indicted in cipher case on 12th

Accountability judge summons ex-PM, Bushra tomorrow in £190m reference

RAWALPINDI:

A special court established under the Official Secrets Act (OSA) ordered indictment of former prime minister Imran Khan and ex-foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi in the cipher case. The court has scheduled the next hearing for December 12.

During a hearing of the case inside the Adiala Jail, Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain rejected all the objections raised by the defence lawyers and distributed the copies of the challan [charge-sheet] among the accused persons and adjourned further proceedings till December 12.

The hearing marked the first open-court session inside the jail premises, attended by Imran's wife, Bushra Bibi, and three sisters, Aleema Khan, Uzma Khanum, and Noreen Khanum, along with Qureshi's wife, daughters, and son. A few media representatives were also present during the proceedings.

The case originated from Imran Khan's public display of a paper during a rally in Islamabad on March 27, 2022, claiming it as evidence of an "international conspiracy" before a vote of no-confidence led to his government's ouster.

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) initiated its probe into the so-called “cypher-gate” on July 19, 2023, after the previous coalition government announced an official inquiry against Imran and his close associates for violating the OSA.

Imran was arrested on August 5, following his conviction in the Toshakhana case by a local court of Islamabad. Later, he was also arrested in the cipher case on August 29.

As per the challan papers, both Imran and Qureshi, the former foreign minister, were charged under sections 5 and 9 of the OSA. These provisions entail the possibility of the death penalty or life imprisonment.

In the course of the hearing, Imran's legal team raised objections, contending that the legal prerequisites outlined in the court's notification were not met. Lawyer Babar Awan asserted that the proceedings could not advance unless a new notification was issued.

Judge Zulqarnain responded by informing the lawyer that a divisional bench of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had validated the notification regarding the appointment of the court judge. He assured the lawyer that he would incorporate his arguments in the court's order. Subsequently, he instructed the distribution of the challan copies.

Later, talking to the media after the hearing, Awan said that Imran wanted the “US envoy and a former army general” to be summoned by the special court. “Imran Khan has said [during the hearing] that the US embassy representative should be called and he also took the name of a former general,” he said.
Also during the hearing, according to Awan, Qureshi urged the special court to summon President Dr Arif Alvi so he could testify before the court whether he had assented to the changes to the Official Secrets Act, 1923.

In response to a query, the lawyer characterised the cipher case as built on "just two points." He labelled it as a deliberate attempt to hinder Imran and the PTI from engaging in the upcoming general elections. Awan advocated for allowing foreign media, observers, and bloggers to attend the cipher trial.

Meanwhile, Imran also spoke with the journalists attending the case proceedings. He stated that a so-called London Plan was at work under which Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Quaid Nawaz Sharif was “brought back” to the country and he was put behind bars.

The former prime minister stated that the May 9 violence was also part of the London Plan and that his arrest was illegal. May 9 refers to the attacks on state installations, including the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi and the Corps Commander House in Lahore.

Imran put up a strong defence of his wife Bushra Bibi in the wake of allegations levelled by Bibi’s former husband Khawar Maneka. “I am ready to put my hand on the Quran, I saw the face of Bushra on the day I got married [with her],” he said.

When questioned about his incarceration, Imran expressed indifference, stating his readiness to endure a lengthy jail term, emphasizing, "I am ready to die. I want to send a message to the nation that your captain is ready to fight till his last breath."

Addressing the upcoming general elections, Imran declared confidently, "I am making it clear to you today that PTI will win the election." What did they do against Sheikh Mujibur Rehman [before the 1970 elections] but he [Mujeeb] won 162 seats.”

Reflecting on the economic situation, Imran, now the former PTI chairman, lamented opponents for reducing the growth rate from 6.17% to zero since he left office in April 2022. He expressed concerns that they might evade the elections given the challenging circumstances.