Pakistan: Special court rejects Imran Khan’s bail plea in cypher case

Imran Khan and Qureshi, the 67-year-old former foreign minister, were arrested under the Official Secrets Act for allegedly misplacing and misusing a classified document for vested political interests

Islamabad: A special court in Pakistan on Thursday rejected the bail application of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan in the cypher case related to the alleged disclosure of state secrets.

Special court Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain, who heard the bail applications of Khan and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, announced the reserved verdict after Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party counsels completed their arguments.

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The judge rejected the post-arrest bail pleas of the two leaders, destroying hopes of the early release of Khan, 70, from the District Jail, Attock, where he was lodged on August 5 after conviction in the Toshakhana case.

Khan and Qureshi, the 67-year-old former foreign minister, were arrested under the Official Secrets Act for allegedly misplacing and misusing a classified document for vested political interests.

On Wednesday, the special court extended the judicial remand of both leaders till September 26.

Though his sentence in the case was suspended by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on August 29, Khan remains in Attock prison in the cypher case. Last month, the special court extended his remand for 14 days till September 13.

The cypher case is based on the alleged leaking of a cable sent by the Pakistan embassy in Washington in March last year.

In March last year, ahead of the vote of no-confidence that resulted in his ouster, Khan pulled out a piece of paper – allegedly the cypher – from his pocket and waved it at a public rally in Islamabad, claiming it was the evidence of an “international conspiracy” being hatched to topple his government.

However, during the interrogation with the joint investigation team (JIT) in the jail on August 26, Khan denied that the paper he waved at a public gathering last year was the cypher. He also admitted to losing the cypher, saying he couldn’t recall where he kept it.

His principal secretary, Azam Khan, stated before a magistrate and the FIA that the Khan used it for his ‘political gains’ and to avert a no-confidence vote against him.

The purported cypher (secret diplomatic cable) contained an account of a meeting between US State Department officials, including Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu, and Pakistani envoy Asad Majeed Khan last year.

Last month, authorities launched a case against Khan, Qureshi and former PTI Secretary General and Finance Minister Asad Umar under the violation of secret laws of the country.

“Consequent upon the conclusion of the enquiry.…it transpired that former prime minister namely Imran Ahmad Khan Niazi, former foreign minister namely Shah Mahmood Qureshi and their other associates are involved in communications of information contained in the secret classified document…to the unauthorised person (i.e. public at large) by twisting the facts to achieve their ulterior motives and personal gains in a manner prejudicial to the interests of state security,” read first information report (FIR) registered against the PTI leaders.

Earlier today, the same court approved PTI leader Asad Umar’s bail in the case against the surety bond of Rs 50,000. It also noted that Umar expressed willingness to join the cypher probe, but the prosecution did not investigate him in the case.

“If Asad Umar’s arrest is required, the FIA [Federal Investigation Agency] will proceed according to law,” the judge ordered, directing the authorities to inform Umar in advance before arresting him in the case.