File photo
A Special Court on Thursday accepted a Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) plea seeking in-camera proceedings of the cipher case trial of former prime minister Imran Khan and ex-foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.
Both Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders were indicted a second time a day earlier, after their previous indictment was vacated on orders of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) over an “erroneous” government notification for a jail trial. Both have once more pleaded not guilty to charges of revealing a classified document to the general public; misusing its contents for personal gain; and damaging Pakistan’s interests. A day earlier, the FIA’s prosecutor and local reporters had confirmed the indictment but the PTI’s lawyers had maintained the indictment was still pending.
In today’s hearing, according to a select group of journalists permitted to attend proceedings, Special Court Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain confirmed the indictment proceedings were completed the previous day. He then accepted a FIA plea to conduct the trial in-camera, adding the family members of both accused could continue to attend proceedings. The court then adjourned proceedings until tomorrow (Friday), when the judge said the in-camera hearing would resume.
Arguing against in-camera proceedings, lawyers of both PTI leaders had maintained the IHC had already ruled against a jail trial and an in-camera hearing. However, the FIA said Section 14 of the Official Secrets Act called for in-camera proceedings, as “secrecy” of classified information must be maintained while recording testimony of witnesses.
Addressing media after the hearing, Qureshi’s daughter Mehr Bano maintained an open trial was necessary to ensure justice. His lawyer, meanwhile, said the legal team of both Khan and Qureshi were considering challenging the indictment proceedings.
The cipher case pertains to a classified diplomatic cipher that the FIA’s charge sheet alleges was retained by Khan and never returned to the Foreign Office. The PTI maintains the document “proves” a conspiracy to oust Khan from the Prime Minister’s Office; both the U.S. and multiple meetings of the civil-military National Security Committee have denied this.