Imran Khan, Shah Mahmood Qureshi 'guilty' in cipher case, says Pakistan's top investigation agency

Pakistan's top investigation agency on Saturday declared former prime minister Imran Khan and ex-foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi guilty in a case related to the alleged disclosure of state secrets, popularly known as the cipher case.

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) submitted the charge sheet against Khan, the chairman of the Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party and his deputy Qureshi, both currently detained in jail on judicial remand, to a special court established under the Official Secrets Act, the Pakistan Observer website reported.

Khan, 70, was arrested last month after a case was filed against him for allegedly violating the Official Secrets Act by disclosing a secret diplomatic cable (cipher) sent by the country's embassy in Washington last year in March.

The FIA has requested the court to start the trial of the PTI leaders and sentence them according to the law, it said.

Qureshi, 75, is the vice chairman of PTI. Former general secretary of PTI Asad Umar has not been named in the FIA’s list of accused, while former principal secretary Azam Khan has been presented as a strong witness of the FIA against Imran Khan, GeoTV, a prominent news channel, reported.

It added that the challan also carries Azam Khan’s statement recorded under sections 161 and 164.

The FIA has also attached the transcript of Khan and Qureshi’s speeches made on March 27.

The Pakistan Observer also reported that the FIA has submitted a list of 28 witnesses along with the charge sheet in the court. Names of foreign secretary Asad Majid, former foreign secretary Sohail Mahmood, and additional foreign secretary Faisal Niaz Tirmizi are included in the list of witnesses, it said.

ALSO READ:

• Watch: Imran Khan’s lawyer slaps Pakistani senator on TV show during heated argument

• Pakistan: Khan's judicial remand in cipher case extended by another 14 days

• World
• Pakistan