IHC acquits Imran, Qureshi in cipher case

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday accepted the appeals of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Imran Khan and party leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi against their conviction in the cipher case and acquitted them.

The verdict was announced by IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb.

The cipher case revolves around appeals filed by Imran Khan and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi challenging the prison sentences they received under the Official Secrets Act.

Read more: Imran Khan challenges cipher case proceedings

In the cipher case, Imran Khan and party senior leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi were sentenced to 10 years each in prison by the trial court.

The case revolves around allegations that the former prime minister, Imran Khan, made public contents of a secret cable sent by the country’s ambassador in Washington to the government in Islamabad.
This action was considered a breach of the Official Secrets Act. The special court established under this act found both politicians guilty of misusing diplomatic cables for political purposes.

Following the approval of his bail petition by the IHC on May 15 in the £190 million National Crime Agency (NCA) settlement reference, the PTI founder received his most recent reprieve. A two-member bench, led by the IHC chief justice, Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, granted bail to the PTI’s founder in the reference filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

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