<\/p>\n
A special court established under the Official Secrets Act on Tuesday handed both former premier Imran Khan and ex-foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi 10 years in jail in the cipher case.<\/p>\n
The cipher case pertains to a diplomatic document<\/a> that the Federal Investigation Agency\u2019s charge sheet alleges was never returned<\/a> by Imran. The PTI has long held<\/a> that the document contained a threat from the United States to oust Imran as prime minister.<\/p>\n The verdict comes nine days before the February 8 general elections, which the PTI is contesting amid a state crackdown and without an electoral symbol.<\/p>\n Both Imran and Qureshi have been in jail in the run-up to the elections. While Imran\u2019s candidature was rejected, Qureshi was cleared<\/a> to run for an NA seat from Thar<\/a>. But today\u2019s conviction means that both of them have been disqualified from contesting elections for the next five years.<\/p>\n This is Imran\u2019s second conviction as he was also convicted<\/a> in the Toshakhana case on Aug 5, and sentenced to three years\u2019 imprisonment. The Islamabad High Court (IHC) had suspended<\/a> his sentence. However, a division bench had later rejected<\/a> Imran\u2019s petition seeking the suspension of the conviction.<\/p>\n This is the former foreign minister\u2019s first conviction.<\/p>\n Special Court Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain announced the verdict in the case. At the outset of the hearing, Imran and Qureshi were given a questionnaire under Section 342 (power to examine the accused) of the Code of Criminal Procedure<\/a>.<\/p>\n After Imran recorded his statement, the court asked him about the whereabouts of the cipher, to which he replied: \u201cI have said the same in my statement that I do not know. The cipher was in my office.\u201d<\/p>\n The judge then sentenced the two to 10 years in jail in the case. After announcing the verdict, the judge stepped out of the courtroom, at which Qureshi protested that his statement was not recorded.<\/p>\n In a post on X, PTI\u2019s official account issued a statement saying that Pakistan stood with Imran and Qureshi \u201cwho defended Pakistan and stood for haqeeqi azadi<\/em>\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cNo such sham trial can change what happened in March-April 2022, on the orders of Donald Lu,\u201d the statement added.<\/p>\n \u201cA complete mockery and disregard of the law in the cipher case shall not lead us to forget our primary responsibility in order to provide justice to Imran and Qureshi.\u201d<\/p>\n The statement urged the public to come out and vote on February 8.<\/p>\n \u201cGod willing kaptaan<\/em> and vice kaptaan<\/em> will be back soon, and this sentence will be (thrown) in the dustbin in the appeal stage,\u201d it concluded.<\/p>\n PTI leader Gohar Khan said that the special court judge had announced the verdict in haste, adding that proceedings were not being conducted in accordance with the law and the Constitution.<\/p>\n \u201cHe asked questions himself and the way our witness was cross-examined, you cannot find any such examples in history,\u201d he said while speaking to the media outside the Islamabad High Court.<\/p>\n He requested all the \u201cwell-wishers\u201d of the country to show patience and not react to the court order in any capacity.<\/p>\n \u201cWe trust the high and the Supreme Court. At the end of the day, we will eventually get relief. Even if they convict us then it would be quashed [\u2026] Do not get angry, don\u2019t take the law in your hands. You do not have to throw a single stone, you should show patience,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Speaking to the media in Islamabad, Imran\u2019s sister Aleema Khan alleged that someone was \u201cgiving instructions\u201d to Judge Zulqarnain.<\/p>\n She said that as the cross-examination of the witnesses had to begin, \u201cnames of others started coming forward, including Donald Lu, who sent the message (cipher), and General [Qamar Javed] Bajwa, who received it.\u201d<\/p>\n Aleema said the sentence was given due to the fear of Lu, the US State Department official, and ex-army chief Gen Bajwa being summoned for cross-examination.<\/p>\n She urged \u201c100 per cent\u201d of the voters to voice their opinion in the upcoming general elections, saying there would be \u201cno better revenge\u201d than that.<\/p>\n PTI Secretary General Omar Ayub Khan urged party workers to \u201cremain calm and not indulge in any activity that undermines our traditional stance of a peaceful struggle\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cWe will appeal against this decision in the high court and continue our battle,\u201d he said. \u201cThe current kangaroo court ruling will not deter us from foregoing this principle come what may,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n \u201cWe should harness and channel these energies for the polling day on February 8 to ensure that PM Imran Khan\u2019s nominated candidates are returned to the assemblies with a thumping majority,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cSham trial. Sham decision. It will be reversed. Don\u2019t fall in their trap. Former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser termed the court\u2019s decision \u201cextremely painful\u201d and \u201ccontroversial\u201d, adding that the legal requirements for the case were not carried out.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is absolutely clear that the decision is biased. God willing, we will challenge it in the high court and the Supreme Court,\u201d he said in a video statement, adding that the decision was rushed by the courts.<\/p>\n \u201cThere were two proceedings in one day so the people are clear that this was the murder of justice,\u201d the PTI leader said. \u201cWe will get our revenge by voting,\u201d he said, expressing hope that the verdict would be discarded when moved before a higher court.<\/p>\n \u201cI want to tell my workers that they should be encouraged, not to get violent or get disappointed,\u201d Qaiser said.<\/p>\n Speaking to Geo News<\/em>, PTI counsel Barrister Ali Zafar said he would file an appeal tomorrow in the Islamabad High Court, calling it a \u201cblessing in disguise.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe case was going good but in recent days the judge changed everything and this was a mistrial. A criminal trial needs to be a fair trial,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n When asked if 10 years was a long enough punishment for the PTI leaders, Zafar said, \u201cPunishment is handed out when a crime has been committed. There was no crime committed, and no trial held.\u201d<\/p>\n Former interior minister and PML-N leader Rana Sanaullah said there was no debate that the cipher was a classified document, claiming that Imran had used the document for political purposes.<\/p>\n Speaking to Geo News<\/em>, he said: \u201cThe punishment is completely justified, and it was given via legal means. They (PTI) have the right to appeal this decision and even go to the Supreme Court.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat the Supreme Court meted out to the PTI in terms of disqualifying a political party is completely different from jeopardising national security,\u201d Sanaullah added.<\/p>\n In a press conference later, PML-N leader and former law minister Azam Nazir Tarar said Imran \u201cused a classified document to save his government\u201d and \u201cmade a joke out of the Official Secrets Act\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cWithout worrying about Pakistan\u2019s foreign affairs, he used the document to dissolve Pakistan\u2019s National Assembly \u2014 which was later overturned by the Supreme Court,\u201d he recalled.<\/p>\n Tarar said that an inquiry was later initiated in the case by the then cabinet but Imran never found it necessary to respond or defend himself. He further stated that even during the trial proceedings, the PTI founder boycotted the hearings several times. \u201cAt the end of the day, the law had to take its own course.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt was also reported that Imran recorded a detailed statement in which he admitted to revealing the contents of the cipher and losing the confidential document,\u201d Tarar claimed. \u201cBut despite all this, Imran was apt that none of the charges against him amounted to a criminal offence.\u201d<\/p>\n He added that the matters of relief and punishment were between the suspect and the court. \u201cI believe that we should look at it as a purely judicial matter,\u201d Tarar said.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, PML-N leader Attaullah Tarar said the cipher matter was \u201cclear from day one\u201d, alleging that the national security of the country was put on the line to gain political mileage.<\/p>\n Speaking to DawnNewsTV<\/em>, Tarar said Imran\u2019s lawyers did not present themselves before the court and opted for delaying tactics.<\/p>\n \u201cToday is the win for the state of Pakistan,\u201d he added. \u201cEnemies of Pakistan made fun of us over all this. Anti-Pakistan lobbies published articles.\u201d<\/p>\n The PML-N leader said the punishment was according to the law and no one had the right to violate the Official Secrets Act.<\/p>\n The former premier and Qureshi, who is also behind bars, were first indicted<\/a> in the case in October. Both had pleaded not guilty. The IHC had termed the government\u2019s notification for a jail trial \u201cerroneous\u201d and scrap\u00adped<\/a> the entire proceedings.<\/p>\n The special court had begun<\/a> the cipher trial afresh last month at the Adiala district jail after Imran and Qureshi were indicted for a second time<\/a> in the case on December 13.<\/p>\n PTI decries \u2018sham trial\u2019, to challenge verdict in IHC<\/h2>\n
\nOur vote on February 8 will be our first response,\u201d said PTI\u2019s Taimur Jhagra.<\/p>\nPML-N says sentence \u2018justified\u2019, \u2018win for state\u2019<\/h2>\n
Case history<\/h2>\n