Imran Khan, the chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has filed a bail petition at the Islamabad High Court (IHC) challenging the special court’s decision in the cipher case. The special court had recently rejected the post-arrest bail applications of Khan and PTI’s Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi. The court extended Khan and Qureshi’s judicial remand until September 26 in the cipher case.
The controversy surrounding the cipher case emerged when Imran Khan, just days before his ouster in April 2022, claimed to possess a cipher from a foreign nation that mentioned his government’s removal from power.
However, he did not reveal the contents of the letter or the name of the nation involved. Later, Khan named the United States and accused Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Affairs Donald Lu of seeking his removal.
The cipher case took a more serious turn when Khan’s principal secretary, Azam Khan, stated that Imran Khan had used the US cipher for political gain and to avert a vote of no-confidence. Azam Khan mentioned that the cipher was used in political gatherings by Imran Khan to create a narrative against the establishment and opposition.
The IHC will hear Imran Khan’s bail petition on Monday, providing him with the opportunity to challenge his detention in the cipher case.