Cipher Case: The Islamabad High Court questioned the Ministry of Interior becoming a plaintiff

Web Desk: The Islamabad High Court also questioned the Ministry of Interior instead of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as the plaintiff in the cipher case.
Chief Justice Amir Farooq has remarked that why was the Ministry of Interior instead of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs the plaintiff in the case?
Appeals against conviction in the cipher case of PTI founder Imran Khan and Shah Mehmood Qureshi were heard in the Islamabad High Court.
FIA prosecutor Hamid Ali Shah argued that an audio had emerged with three people of founder PTI including Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Azam Khan and Asad Umar Moho, FIA said in its technical report. That this conversation has been done.
The Chief Justice asked, “Are you saying that the FIA ​​report confirms that this is a conversation?”
Prosecutor FIA said that the leaked audio mentions playing with ciphers, an inquiry was registered at FIA with the approval of the federal cabinet.
Chief Justice Amir Farooq asked why the Ministry of Interior was the plaintiff instead of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Founder PTI lawyer Salman Safdar has emphasized this point.
Prosecutor Hamid Ali Shah said that I will go ahead and assist the court in this regard. Interior Secretary Yusuf Naseem Khokhar filed the first complaint in October 2022. On September 2023, the new Interior Secretary Aftab Durrani filed the second complaint.
A second complaint was filed to fulfill the requirement under the Official Secrets Act, on 16 August 2023 FIA sought the physical remand of PTI founder, the Official Secrets Act court sent PTI founder to jail on judicial remand.
Prosecutor FIA said that the founder of PTI was arrested on August 16, Shah Mehmood Qureshi was arrested on August 19, 2023, a challan was submitted against the accused on October 3, 2023, and the accused were charged on October 23. Quashed by High Court, second charge sheeted on 13th December 2023, during inquiry it was found that Section 5 and 9 were violated, based on inquiry FIR was registered in 2023.
The FIA ​​prosecutor said that an FIR was registered on August 15, 2023 under Sections 5 and 9 of the Official Secrets Act, the jail trial was quashed by the Islamabad High Court, 17 hearings were held in the first phase and three witnesses were called. The statements of
On November 21, the Islamabad High Court declared the trial null and void, the Ministry of Law declared the jail a court under the Lahore High Court Rules, on December 13, 2023, the second charge was filed, the Ministry of Law issued two notifications which Jail trial was held accordingly.
The Chief Justice asked whether the trial under the Official Secrets Act is in accordance with the notification.
Justice Mian Gul Hasan Aurangzeb said that the appointment of a judge is done after consulting the Chief Justice of the High Court. Did you do that?
FIA Prosecutor Hamid Ali Shah said yes it was like this, the statements of 12 witnesses were recorded in the second phase of the trial. Satisfied.
Justice Mian Gul Hasan Aurangzeb said that who were the lawyers of founder PTI and Shah Mehmood Qureshi? Then who were the lawyers appointed by the Advocate General?
The Chief Justice asked who were the lawyers of the accused whose names he signed? Then who were the lawyers appointed by Advocate General Islamabad for the accused?
Justice Hasan Aurangzeb said that a comparative assessment of the founder PTI’s own lawyers and the lawyers appointed by the Advocate General is very important.
The FIA ​​prosecutor said that the statements of 25 witnesses were recorded, the cross-examination of 4 witnesses was completed on January 24.
Mian Gul Hasan Aurangzeb asked which lawyers were given power of attorney by the founder of PTI? In the case, CVs of all the lawyers who were cross-examined were submitted to the court.
The FIA ​​prosecutor said that the cross-examination of the witnesses was completed on January 30, 2024, and the defense statement of the accused was completed on January 31.
The Chief Justice asked when the decision was made. On this, the prosecutor said that the decision was pronounced on January 30.
The Chief Justice said that if the statement of defense was made on January 31, then how was the decision made on the 30th? On this he said that I want to apologize, there are many advisers behind me, on January 30, the statement of defense was made and the decision was taken on the same day.
Chief Justice Amir Farooq said that on 30 January 2024, the trial court gave judgment in the cipher case, Shah Sahib, how much time will you take for arguments? On this, Hamid Ali Shah said that nothing can be said now, I will try to take less time.
Later, the court adjourned the hearing of the case till April 22.