In a recent development, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) nominated Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi as accused in the cipher case. The FIA has urged the court to initiate proceedings against both leaders and impose penalties on them, notably excluding Asad Umar from the list of accused individuals.
Witness statements provided crucial evidence, with Azam Khan, a PTI leader and former principal secretary, offering his perspective under Sections 161 and 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code as a witness for the FIA.
The challan underscores allegations that former Prime Minister Imran Khan possessed and allegedly misused classified state information while failing to return the cipher copy. Additionally, it maintains that Shah Mahmood Qureshi delivered a speech on March 27, actively assisting the PTI chairman.
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The transcript of the speeches given by Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi on March 27 has been attached to the challan as evidence. Furthermore, the FIA has submitted a list of 28 witnesses to the court, with statements from 27 of them included in the challan.
Key Witnesses and Investigative Details
The list of witnesses includes former foreign secretaries Asad Majeed and Sohail Mehmood, as well as Additional Foreign Secretary Faisal Niaz Timrizi, all of whom are considered key witnesses by the FIA.
The FIA’s investigation delves into the diplomatic cipher’s journey to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its eventual placement in the hands of a prime minister. As such, the entire chain of officials in the foreign ministry and the Prime Minister’s Office has been listed as witnesses in the challan.
In the upcoming court hearing, copies of the challan in the cipher case are likely to be provided to Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi. Subsequently, a date for their indictment will be determined.
More related: IHC Issues Notice to FIA Regarding Imran Khan’s Bail Request in Cipher Case
The “Cypher Saga” Unfolded
The “cipher saga” began on March 27, 2022, when former Prime Minister Imran Khan displayed what he claimed to be a diplomatic cipher at a public gathering in Islamabad. He alleged it was evidence of an international conspiracy to topple his government. The FIA initiated its probe, known as “cipher-gate,” on July 19, following an official inquiry by the PML-N-led coalition government into the violation of the Official Secrets Act, 1923, for illegal possession of a classified document. Qureshi was arrested on August 19, and Imran Khan was interrogated on August 26 in connection with the case. Imran Khan’s arrest followed the suspension of his three-year jail sentence in the Toshakhana case.
