ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s top court on Wednesday issued notices to the federation, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), and Interior Ministry on former prime minister Imran Khan’s post-arrest bail plea in the Cipher case.
A three-member bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Justice Sardar Tariq Masood and comprising Justice Yahya Afridi and Justice Ayesha Malik, heard the PTI Chairman’s post-arrest bail request.
During the proceedings, Justice Afridi inquired whether the cipher was a confidential document. PTI chairman’s counsel, Salman Safdar Advocate, argued that it was no longer confidential after being declassified.
Justice Afridi questioned whether the cipher was shown to someone before it was declassified. Justice Tariq Masood inquired about its public disclosure and its content, noting that some constitutional provisions related to the death penalty and life imprisonment applied in the cipher case.
Salman Safdar Advocate read the contents of the first information report (FIR) against the PTI chairman, stating that he was accused of asking Azam Khan to portray the cipher in a certain manner, leading to alleged damage to the state. Asad Umar was discharged from the case, while Azam Khan was included as a prosecution witness.
Justice Tariq Masood noted that the accused was accused of compromising the cipher, which was frequently changed. Salman Safdar argued that, on merit, no case should be initiated against his client.
Justice Afridi remarked that the court was not holding a trial; rather, it was reviewing the allegations. He questioned the need for recording the minutes of the meeting if the PTI chairman was hatching a conspiracy on the cipher. The court observed that weaknesses in the trial could be used for the defense after the termination of the jail trial, and the prosecution would conduct the trial again.
The court served notices to the respondents on the bail petition of the PTI chairman, noting that the trial and high courts had previously dismissed the case.
