The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has taken a significant step in the ongoing legal battle involving Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman, Imran Khan, by issuing a notice to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).
This notice is in response to Khan’s recent petition, in which he sought post-arrest bail in connection with the cipher case.
The IHC’s decision to issue the notices transpired during the hearing of Khan’s bail application, which aimed to challenge the special court’s ruling on the cipher case from the previous week. Imran Khan submitted this plea over the weekend, and it was scheduled for a hearing on Monday.
The cipher case revolves around a special court established under the Official Secrets Act, which had previously denied post-arrest bail requests from both Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi, the Vice Chairman of PTI, in relation to the missing cipher.
Chief Justice Aamer Farooq of the IHC issued the notices in response to a petition filed by lawyer Salman Safdar on behalf of PTI’s leader, Imran Khan.
The legal team representing Imran Khan repeatedly urged for an expedited hearing of the case. In response, Chief Justice Aamer Farooq emphasized the importance of following the established legal procedure, assuring that the case will be decided impartially and fairly.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has now been directed to provide a response to Imran Khan’s petition.
Currently, both Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi are in judicial remand regarding the cipher case, and they will remain in custody until September 26.
This legal saga began last month when the FIA charged Imran Khan and his party’s Vice Chairman under the Official Secrets Act for allegedly mishandling and misusing a classified document for political gain.
The controversy, known as “Ciphergate,” initially came to light on March 27, 2022, just days before Imran Khan was removed from office in April 2022. At the time, Khan revealed a letter that he claimed to be a cipher from a foreign nation, suggesting that his government should be ousted from power. However, he did not disclose the letter’s contents or the nation responsible for sending it. A few days later, he publicly identified the United States and accused Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Affairs, Donald Lu, of seeking his removal based on the cipher’s information, which revolved around a meeting between former Pakistan Ambassador to the US, Asad Majeed, and Lu.
