Special Court Rejects PTI Chairman and PTI Vice-Chairman’s Bail Pleas in Cipher Case

Islamabad: The special court on official secret act has denied the bail pleas of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and PTI Vice-Chairman, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, in the ongoing cipher case.

The court issued its long-awaited verdict in the cipher case, which has garnered widespread attention in recent weeks.

Earlier today, the same special court, established under the Official Secrets Act, had granted pre-arrest bail to another PTI leader, Asad Umar, requiring him to provide a Rs50,000 surety bond.

The cipher case revolves around allegations made by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) of Pakistan against the PTI Chief. The FIA accuses the former prime minister of leaking classified contents from a diplomatic cable originating from Pakistan’s embassy in Washington, known as the “cipher.”

According to the FIA’s assertions, the PTI Chief utilized this cable to claim that the United States had exerted pressure on Pakistan’s top authorities to remove his government shortly after his visit to Russia, which preceded Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in April 2022. These allegations have resulted in charges against the former prime minister under the Official Secrets Act, carrying a maximum penalty of 14 years’ imprisonment.

The PTI Chief vehemently denies these allegations and has raised objections regarding the case’s validity. He has also contested the venue of the trial, advocating for it to be moved from Attock jail, where he is currently detained, to Islamabad. The PTI Chief’s legal team argues that conducting the trial within the confines of the jail infringes upon his right to a fair trial and due process.

The cipher case is just one of several legal challenges the PTI Chief has faced since losing a parliamentary confidence vote in April of the previous year. Additionally, he was convicted in a corruption case last month and subsequently barred from participating in elections for a period of five years. While his sentence was temporarily suspended by the Islamabad High Court (IHC), he remains in custody in connection with the cipher case. The special court has extended his judicial remand until September 26, further prolonging the legal saga.