In the cipher case, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, the former foreign minister, is facing legal action for not testifying against Imran Khan. Qureshi’s lawyer informed the Islamabad High Court about the pressure Qureshi was under to testify against Khan.
The lawyer argued that Qureshi was only implicated in the case because he refused to speak against Khan. The case revolves around the Official Secrets Act, which dates back to British rule.
The lawyer claimed that the complainant, Yousaf Naseem Khokhar, didn’t originally name Khan and Qureshi in the complaint. He also argued that the cipher, a confidential document, and a demarche (official protest) were not presented in court, deliberately hiding facts.
Additionally, he stated that Khan was accused of negligence for not properly safeguarding the cipher, which was the responsibility of then-Principal Secretary Azam Khan. Azam Khan was allegedly pardoned for testifying against Khan.
The court questioned if there was any record of the cipher’s movement, but the prosecution didn’t have an answer. The hearing was adjourned to Thursday.
In a separate matter, the Punjab government informed the Lahore High Court that seven cells had been allocated for Imran Khan at Adalia jail, with extra security measures in place, including dedicated guards, CCTV cameras, and a separate kitchen for his food. The petitioner, satisfied with the government’s report, sought to withdraw the petition.
The court adjourned the case to April 16 to dispose of related petitions.