Cipher Case: Imran Khan To Remain In Jail, Judicial Remand Extended Till Sep 13

Pakistan’s Special Court on Wednesday extended the judicial remand of former Prime Minister Imran Khan in the Cipher Case till September 13th.

Under the provisions of the Official Secrets Act, the Special Court of Pakistan has extended Imran Khan’s judicial remand in the Cipher Case. Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain, who arrived at Attock jail in Punjab to conduct the hearing, issued the decision in the case of the missing cipher, a classified state document that Khan had waved during a political rally ahead of his ouster from office last year.

The hearing of the case took place at the Attock District Jail following approval by the Law Ministry amid security concerns expressed by the Interior Ministry.

The Deputy Chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who was arrested on August 19th in the Cipher Case, was also presented in the judicial precinct today.

Previously, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) suspended the conviction of Imran Khan in the Toshakhana case and the 3-year jail sentence after directing the officials to release him on bail. However, he remains in jail in the Cipher Case.
In response to the appeal against the jail sentence of the former Prime Minister, Chief Justice Amir Farooq and Justice Tariq Mahmood Jahangiri of the High Court announced the awaited order, which comes just a few months ahead of the national elections in the country.

Previously, the trial court in Islamabad had declared the head of PTI guilty in the case filed by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), which included concealing details of state gifts, and sentenced him to three years in prison.

The verdict meant he was disqualified from contesting general elections for a period of 5 years.