The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has taken a significant step in the ongoing cipher case involving Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi.
On Saturday, the FIA submitted the challan, outlining its findings and allegations against the former Prime Minister and Vice Chairman, declaring them guilty in this matter. The agency is now urging the court to proceed with their trial and impose appropriate penalties.
Notably, the former PTI Secretary-General, Asad Umar, has not been included as an accused in the case. Conversely, Imran Khan’s former principal secretary, Azam Khan, has been identified as a “strong witness” in the case. The FIA has attached Azam’s statements, recorded under Sections 161 and 164, as part of the challan. According to sources, Imran Khan is accused of withholding and misusing state secrets contained within the cipher.
Additionally, the FIA has included the transcript of Khan and Qureshi’s speeches from March 27, a crucial date when the former premier dramatically revealed a letter, claiming it to be a cipher from a foreign nation. Khan alleged that this letter implied foreign involvement in a conspiracy against his government. The agency has also submitted a list of 28 witnesses to the court, each of whom has provided statements under Section 161.
Among these witnesses are former foreign secretaries Asad Majeed, Sohail Mehmood, and the then additional foreign secretary, Faisal Niaz Tirmizi. These individuals have been called to testify in the case.
Recently, on September 26, the special court extended the judicial remand of both the PTI chairman and vice-chairman until October 10 in connection with the cipher case. Last month, the FIA filed charges against them under the Official Secrets Act, alleging that they mishandled and misused a classified document for their political advantage.
The FIR, registered against the PTI leaders, stated, “Consequent upon the conclusion of the inquiry No. 111/2023 dated 05.10.2022, registered in the CTW, FIA Islamabad, it transpired that former prime minister namely Imran Ahmad Khan Niazi, former foreign minister namely Shah Mahmood Qureshi and their other associates are involved in communications of information contained in the secret classified document (Cipher Telegram received from Parep. Washington dated 7th March, 2022 to Secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs) to the unauthorised person (i.e. public at large) by twisting the facts to achieve their ulterior motives and personal gains in a manner prejudicial to the interests of state security.”
As a result of these allegations, both leaders were arrested during the investigation, and a special court was established under the Official Secrets Act to oversee the trial.
The Ciphergate scandal initially erupted on March 27, 2022, when Imran Khan, less than a month before his removal from office in April 2022, addressed a public rally. During this rally, he waved a letter before the crowd, alleging that it was a cipher from a foreign nation that had conspired with his political rivals to overthrow the PTI government.
