PTI calls for formation of judicial commission to probe cipher case

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Saturday rejected a challan submitted by Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and called for the formation of a judicial commission to investigate the cipher case, Pakistan-based ARY News reported.

In a statement issued on September 30, the PTI spokesperson called the challan submitted against PTI chairman Imran Khan and vice chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi "meaningless and bogus as cipher case."

The party spokesperson further said that the cipher was still present in its original state in the Foreign Office. He said, "Cipher’s presence proves the allegations levelled against the former prime minister [Imran Khan] as baseless."

The PTI spokesperson said, "The then federal cabinet declassified the cipher under its powers”, adding that Official Secrets Act cannot be applied in this case. According to the party spokesperson, Imran Khan had repeatedly demanded an independent and impartial investigation into cipher case. The PTI spokesperson said Imran Khan had also written letters to the chief justice and Pakistan President "but to no avail." He said that a judicial commission should be formed to carry out a probe in the cipher to meet the demands of justice.

On Saturday, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) submitted the challan in the cipher case against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Pakistan-based Geo News reported.

In its challan, the FIA stated that Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi were found guilty in the matter. The agency requested the court to conduct their trial and sentence them in the case. Former PTI Secretary-General Asad Umar's name has not been included in the list of accused, Geo News reported citing sources.

Imran Khan's former principal secretary Azam Khan has been named as a "strong witness" in the case, the report said. In addition, the FIA has attached the statements of Azam Khan recorded under Sections 161 and 164, along with the challan, according to sources. The sources further said that the PTI chief kept the cipher to himself and misused the state secret, according to Geo News report.

According to sources, former Pakistan PM Imran Khan had a copy of the cipher. However, he did not return it. Furthermore, the agency has attached the transcript of Khan and Qureshi's speech of March 27, 2022. On March 27 last year, Imran Khan brandished a letter claiming it was a cipher from a foreign nation, which wanted his government to be removed from power. The FIA presented a list of 28 witnesses to the court with the challan after recording their statements under Section 161, according to Geo News report.

According to sources, the names of former foreign secretaries Asad Majeed, Sohail Mehmood and the then additional foreign secretary Faisal Niaz Tirmizi have also been included in the list of witnesses.

On September 26, the special court extended the judicial remand of Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi till October 10 in the cipher case. Earlier in August, the FIA booked the PTI chairman and vice chairman under the Official Secrets Act for allegedly misplacing and misusing the classified document for their vested political interests. Subsequently, Khan and Qureshi were arrested in connection with the probe into the case and a special court was formed under the Official Secrets Act to try the accused.