Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf to challenge cypher case verdict in Islamabad High Court

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has said that it will challenge the cypher case verdict in the Islamabad High Court (IHC), Pakistan-based ARY News reported.

Barrister Ali Zafar told ARY News that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf will challenge the sentence given to the party's founder and former Prime Minister Imran Khan and former Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi after receiving a detailed verdict in the cypher case.

According to the ARY report, Zafar called the sentence to PTI leaders a "mockery" of justice. He alleged the jail trial in the cypher case was against Article 10-A and said that due process was not adopted in the case.

Ali Zafar made the remarks after a Pakistani court sentenced Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi to jail for 10 years each "in a case involving the leak of state secrets," local media reported on Tuesday.

A special court established under the Official Secrets Act on Tuesday announced a 10-year jail sentence to Pakistan Tehreeke-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and former Pakistan's foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the cypher case, Dawn reported.

Special court, Adiala district jail, announced the verdict during the hearing held at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi. The court had begun the cypher trial afresh at the Adiala district jail late last month after Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi were indicted for a second time in the case on December 13, Dawn reported.

Imran Khan and Qureshi, who is also behind bars, were first indicted in the case in October. Both had pleaded not guilty.

Taking to social media platform X, Imran Khan stated, "This is not a trial but a fixed match whose outcome was predetermined by the characters and planners of the London Plan and their seals. That is why I already know the decision of this case."

"Remember that Cypher is a case which has been declared null and void twice by the Islamabad High Court and ordered to be re-tried because both times the case was tried to be run in violation of the constitution and the law. Then the Supreme Court has also given me bail in this case because the whole building of this case has been built on lies, bullying, conspiracy and deceit," he added.

The former Pakistan PM also alleged that "these people want to provoke you by giving me a harsh sentence in this case so that you go out on the streets and protest, then add your unknowns to it and do another false flag operation in the style of May 9 to get those results. Attempts should be made which could not be achieved by the earlier false flag operation. Second, they want you people to stay at home on February 8, disappointed and angry...

"My Pakistanis! This is your war and this is your test that you have to take revenge for every injustice by your vote on February 8 while remaining peaceful. Innocent Pakistanis imprisoned in jails for the last 8 months will get justice and release now only with your vote. I believe that just as you broke the chains of fear yesterday, you will come out in millions on election day and defeat the planners of the London plan by the power of your vote and tell them....there are no sheep that can be driven with a stick. I believe that February 8 will be our day of victory. God willing," the former Pakistan Prime Minister said.

The cypher case involves a diplomatic document that the Federal Investigation Agency alleges was never returned by Imran Khan, with the PTI asserting the document contained a threat from the United States to remove Imran as PM.