A special court has extended the judicial remand of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and the party’s Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi until September 26 in connection with the cipher case. The case revolves around a classified state document, and the trial is taking place under the Official Secrets Act 2023.
Imran Khan was sent to jail on August 5 after being convicted in the Toshakhana case. However, on August 29, the Islamabad High Court suspended his sentence. Despite this, a special court directed the Attock jail authorities to keep him in judicial lockup concerning the cipher case.
The Islamabad High Court recently reserved its verdict on a petition filed by Imran Khan challenging the Law Ministry’s decision to conduct the trial in the cipher case at Attock jail.
The cipher case was initiated with an FIR registered on August 15 under the Official Secrets Act.
Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi were named in the report, along with former Principal Secretary Azam Khan and former Planning Minister Asad Umar. The report alleged that they were involved in the misuse of classified documents and the distortion of diplomatic cipher information for nefarious purposes, endangering state interests.
The case remains under investigation and continues to attract attention due to its nature involving classified information and high-profile figures.