A special court in Islamabad has been established to oversee cases filed under the Official Secrets Act. Recently, it allowed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) a four-day physical remand of Shah Mahmood Qureshi, the Vice Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), relating to a cipher case. Qureshi, having been detained by the FIA on Saturday, was brought before the special court on Monday. Despite the FIA prosecutor pushing for a 13-day physical remand to recover an alleged missing cipher, the court permitted only four days after reserving its decision. The incarcerated PTI chief, Imran Khan, was also questioned in this investigation. The hearing was conducted in camera, with only essential individuals allowed in the courtroom, while others, including some of the party’s junior lawyers, were asked to exit.
This special court’s foundation is notable due to the recent approval of the Official Secrets Act by President Arif Alvi, which happened shortly before the National Assembly was dissolved on August 7.
Background of the Cipher Controversy
The cipher issue came to light on March 27, 2022, when Khan, a few days before his removal, displayed a letter alleging it to be a foreign cipher suggesting the ousting of his government. By October 2022, the federal cabinet decided to act against Khan and passed the case to the FIA. The situation intensified after Azam Khan, Khan’s principal secretary, confessed that Khan had exploited the US cipher for his political benefit. Azam revealed that Khan intended to use this cipher to shape a narrative against the establishment and the opposition.
Despite warnings against such actions, Khan used the cipher at political events and considered leveraging it to shift the public focus to supposed “foreign involvement” in the opposition’s no-confidence motion against him.
