Pakistan: Imran Khan challenges indictment in cypher case, entire proceedings by special court
Dec 19, 2023
Islamabad [Pakistan], December 20 : Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan on Tuesday challenged his indictment in the cypher case and the entire proceedings by the special court, established under the Official Secrets Act, Geo News reported.
Geo News is a Pakistani news channel.
The special court on December 12, indicted the former prime minister -- who was removed from power via a no-confidence vote last year -- in the diplomatic cable case.
In his fresh petition, Khan said: "The learned trial court, while deciding the matter discussed in the petition, did not look into the true perspective of the facts and law which makes the impugned order and proceedings since 23/11/23 illegitimate/not-maintainable in the eye of law and liable to be set aside for the proper dispensation of justice."
He pleaded with the court to declare the December 12 order of the special court null and void.
"[...] It is graciously prayed that the petition in hand may very kindly be accepted while setting aside/declaring illegal, the order dated 12.12.23 by the learned trial court illegally/unauthorisedly while disobeying the law and legislature and preferred the wishes and whims of prosecution respectively in the interest of justice", the petition read, reported Geo News.
Khan then prayed that the operation of the impugned December 12 order and proceedings before the trial court be suspended in the "interest of justice" till the decision of the fresh petition.
"Any other relief, which this honourable court deems fit and proper, may also be granted," read the petition.
Terming his trial "illegal and unlawful", Khan urged the high court to discharge him from the case.
Meanwhile, the high court set December 20 as the date to hear the petition. IHC's Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb will take up the plea tomorrow (Wednesday), according to Dawn.
The cypher case, initiated with the filing of a First Information Report (FIR) on August 15 under the Official Secrets Act, involves serious allegations against former Prime Minister Imran Khan and former Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi. The FIR, lodged based on the complaint of the Home Secretary, also implicates former principal secretary Azam Khan and former planning minister Asad Umar.
According to the FIR, action is anticipated against Azam Khan and Asad Umar, as authorities have concluded their involvement in the misuse of classified documents. The report alleges that a conspiracy was orchestrated by Khan and Qureshi to exploit the contents of the diplomatic cypher for malicious purposes, endangering state interests.
The report claimed that former prime minister asked Azam Khan - the then principal secretary - to "manipulate the contents of cypher". "The former premier deliberately kept the copy of diplomatic cypher, which was sent to the PM office", it added, ARY News reported.
