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ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday acquitted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the cipher case.
IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb announced the short verdict, accepting the appeals of the former premier and diplomat.
In January this year, the PTI founder and the party’s vice-chairman were each sentenced to 10 years in prison in the cipher case. This case involves allegations that the former prime minister disclosed the contents of a secret cable sent by the country’s ambassador in Washington to the government in Islamabad.
Despite this verdict, they are not expected to be released from prison. Imran remains incarcerated due to his sentences in the Toshakhana and Iddat cases, while Qureshi has been arrested in connection with the recent May 9 cases.
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) previously issued a stay order on the in-camera trial of PTI’s former chairman, Imran Khan, in the cipher case.
In his petition, Imran contested his de-novo trial in jail and the ensuing developments, including the framing of charges and a media gag order. He also challenged his indictment in the cipher case and the entire proceedings conducted by the special court established under the Official Secrets Act.
Meanwhile, after complainant Khawar Fareed Maneka asked District and Sessions Judge Shahrukh Arjumand to recuse himself from hearing the appeals, the IHC granted Arjumand’s request to move the Iddat case to a different court.
In the iddat case against Imran Khan and his spouse Bushra Bibi, an Islamabad district and sessions court did not declare last week’s already reserved ruling public.
