ISLAMABAD (DL News) – The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Friday granted bail to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder and Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the cipher case.
The apex court asked both the leaders to submit surety bonds worth Rs1 million each.
A three-member bench, headed by acting Chief Justice of Pakistan Sardar Tariq Masood, heard the appeal.
The PTI founder and vice chairman were indicted in the cipher case on Dec 13 by the special court established under the Official Secrets Act 2023 after the Islamabad High Court (IHC) declared their jail trial null and void.
They pleaded not guilty to their involvement in the offence related to the alleged misuse of diplomatic cable for political purposes.
During earlier proceedings, the court also heard the petition against the two politicians’s Oct 23 indictment.
Justice Masood remarked that the indictment that was challenged was already nullified by the IHC on Nov 21. As a result, the case stood null and void, and the trial was conducted again.
Justice Masood said the fresh indictment would not be affected by the previous proceedings that were declared invalid by the IHC.
Former PM’s counsel Hamid Khan argued that the trial was taking place on the previous charge sheet.
Justice Masood noted that the petition against the old charge sheet had become infructuous. “If you have an objection to the fresh indictment then challenge it in the high court,” the judge told the lawyer.
Hamid Khan requested the court to wait for the IHC’s decision against the in-camera trial in the cipher case.
PTI former chief’s other counsel Barrister Salman Safdar said Hamid Khan had made amendments to his petitions, requesting the court to take it as a fresh one.
The court then adjourned the hearing on the plea against indictment and took up the bail petitions.
CIPHER CASE TRIAL WILL BE HELD IN-CAMERA, RULES COURT
Earlier, a special court established under the Official Secrets Act had announced that the cipher case trial proceedings against former prime minister and founder of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi would be held in-camera in Adiala Jail.
Special court Judge Abual Hasnaat Zulqarnain announced the reserved verdict after listening to the arguments. Statements of the witnesses summoned by the court could not be recorded.
Prosecutor Rizwan Abbasi said as per Official Secrets Act Section 14 proceedings of the cipher case should be held in-camera.
He said circumstances and events warranted in-camera proceedings of the case. Abbasi said if cipher was secret document then the case proceedings should also be held secretly. Charges had been framed and the witnesses had to be testified, Abbasi said and added that recording fo the statements should also be kept in-camera.
Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s counsel Ali Bukhari said they had challenged jail trial of his client and the court ordered to hold an open trial of Qureshi. He said he came to know through media that the court had indicted his client.
Judge Abul Hasnaat said the charges were framed in front of all and where Bukhari had been when the indictment was being made. Later, the court while accepting prosecutor’s request, ordered in-camera proceedings of the cipher case.
A day earlier, the court had framed charges against former PTI chairman and Shah Mahmood Qureshi. The trial will be begin from today. Statement of the witnesses will be recorded.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had requested the court to hold proceedings of the cipher case in-camera. The notices had been issued to ex-PTI chairman and Qureshi’s lawyers for today (Thursday).
