On Monday, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) instructed PTI Chairman Imran Khan to refer his jail trial concerns in the cipher case to the special court. The case involves a missing diplomatic document, with the PTI claiming it held threats from the U.S. to remove Khan from office. Despite a suspension in his Toshakhana case sentence, Khan remains incarcerated due to the ongoing cipher case. After accepting his request for a jail transfer, the IHC advised Khan to direct any cipher case trial objections to the special court. This development follows the naming of Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi as the primary accused in the cipher case.
While announcing the judgment, Chief Justice Aamer Farooq of the IHC emphasized that the decision for a jail trial was due to security considerations and showed no malintent. He noted Khan’s repeated security concerns and suggested he bring any reservations to the trial court’s attention.
Potential Life Sentence or Death Penalty in Cipher Case, IHC Informed
During a separate bail hearing in the cipher case, Special Prosecutor Raja Rizwan Abbasi clarified the charges against Imran Khan under the Official Secrets Act, indicating a possible life sentence or the death penalty. He highlighted that the cipher was highly confidential and that Khan was not authorized to disclose its contents. Discussion ensued about the nature of ciphers and the specific category this document fell into, emphasizing the severity of the case.
Justice Farooq queried the standard procedures for handling ciphers, to which Abbasi responded by detailing the document’s confidentiality levels. He confirmed that the cipher’s contents were not for public disclosure, as supported by witness statements and paralleled by similar cases in India. He also underlined the implications of such unauthorized disclosures on Pakistan’s international relations, especially with the U.S., underscoring the gravity of the breach.
