Former PTI Chairman Imran Khan, vice chairman Shah Mehmmod Qureshi granted bail in cipher case

Islamabad: The Supreme Court on Friday granted bail to former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan and party’s Vice-Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s in cipher case.

PTI leaders Imran Khan and Shah Mehmood Qureshi are charged with disclosing the content of cipher in the public rally on March 28, 2022, and committed a crime under the Official Secrets Act.

Imran Khan’s counsel argued that FIA had initiated the inquiry following a federal government order after the audio leak that petitioners had hatched a conspiracy in Bani Gala to misuse the content of the cipher. He said that FIA accused the former PTI chairman of keeping a copy of the cipher and did not return the same to the foreign office.

PTI former chairman’s counsel said that his client was indicted in the case due to political victimization.

The counsel said that as per the prosecution case, the meeting in which the cipher conspiracy was allegedly planned took place on March 28, 2022, while the challan alleges that Imran Khan disclosed the cipher on March 27, 2022.

The court observed that the original cipher is with the Foreign Office and if it was leaked then it is the Foreign Office’s crime observing that the cipher cannot be discussed in public.

Imran Khan’s counsel said that PTI chairman did not share anything with the public. SC’s three-member bench headed by Justice Sardar Tariq Masood after hearing the counsel granted bail to PTI’s former chairman Imran Khan and vice chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi with surety of Rs. 1 million each.