Pakistan: Imran Khan, Shah Mahmood Qureshi granted bail by SC in cipher case

The Pakistan Supreme Court on Friday (Dec 22) approved former prime minister Imran Khan and ex-foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi's bail in the cipher case against surety bonds of Rs 1 million each.

A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Sardar Tariq Masood and Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Athar Minallah presided over the hearing and delivered the verdict.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) chief and his aide were indicted in the cipher case once again earlier this month by the special court, established under the Official Secrets Act 2023 after the Islamabad High Court (IHC) declared their jail trial null and void.

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Despite the repeated indictment, both have pleaded not guilty in the case and allegedthat "powerful people" behind the cipher case had made them the scapegoat.

During the hearing on Friday, Khan's counsel argued thatthe Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had acted in haste to arrest the former PM.

"The FIA remained silent in the case for seven months and then arrested the PTI leader as soon as he [Imran Khan] was granted bail in the Toshakhana case," the counsel told the bench.

While Khan has been granted bail, it remains unclear at this stage if he will be released from jail as there aremultiple arrest warrants againsthis name in several other high-profile cases. The PTI leader has been in prison since August,after a conviction in another corruption case.

Watch |Pakistan: Imran Khan and Mahmood Qureshi indicted again in Cipher case

The cipher case

In the cipher case, Imran Khan faces allegations that he violated the Official Secrets Act when he disclosed a secret diplomatic cable, called the cipher. This was sent by Pakistan's embassy in Washington last year in March. Khan reportedly lost possession of the diplomatic cable later.

Both Khan and Qureshi had claimed that the cable had a threat from the US to topple the PTI government which was then in power in Pakistan.

Khan was ousted from the prime ministerial office in April last year after a no-confidence vote. Since being relived of the premier post, more than 150 cases have been slapped against him.

(With inputs from agencies)