Imran, Qureshi nominated as accused in FIA’s cypher case challan

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) nominated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Saturday as accused in the challan submitted to the special Official Secrets Act court in the cypher case, Express News reported. The FIA urged the court to initiate proceedings against the two and impose penalties on both of them. The investigative agency has reportedly not included former finance minister and PTI leader Asad Umar among the accused. Former principal secretary and PTI leader Azam Khan's statements, under Sections 161 and 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code, as the FIA's witness have also been attached to the challan. The challan highlights that the former prime minister had the cypher in his possession and allegedly misused classified state information. He has been accused of not returning the copy of the cypher. Furthermore, the challan maintains that Qureshi delivered a speech on March 27 and assisted the PTI chairman. The transcript of the speeches given by Imran and Qureshi on March 27 have also been attached in the challan. Additionally, the FIA also submitted a list of 28 witnesses to the court, with statements of 27 of them attached to the challan. Among the witnesses listed in the special court's challan are former foreign secretaries Asad Majeed and Sohail Mehmood. Moreover, Additional Foreign Secretary Faisal Niaz Timrizi has also been listed as another key witness by the FIA. Read Cypher case: Imran, Qureshi's judicial remand extended till October 10 Outlining the process of a diplomatic cypher reaching the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and landing into the hands of a prime minister, the FIA has included as witnesses the entire chain of officials in the foreign ministry as well as the Prime Minister's Office. According to sources, copies of the challan in the cypher case are likely to be provided to the PTI chairman and Qureshi during the next court hearing. Subsequently, a date for indictment will be determined. A copy of Azam Khan's statement under Section 164 has already been submitted to the court. Whether the court permits access to this statement to the defence or merely allows their legal representatives to read it remains at the court's discretion. Cypher saga On March 27, 2022, before facing a vote of no-confidence, former premier Imran had taken out a piece of paper – allegedly a diplomatic cypher – from his pocket and displayed it at a public gathering in Islamabad, claiming it was evidence of an "international conspiracy" to topple his government. The FIA initiated its probe into the so-called “cypher-gate” on July 19 after the PML-N-led coalition government announced an official inquiry against the former PM and his close associates for violating the Official Secrets Act, 1923 for illegal possession of a classified document. The agency arrested Qureshi, who had served as the country’s foreign minister during the PTI’s rule, on August 19. An FIA Counter Terrorism Wing team interrogated Imran on August 26 inside Attock Jail in connection with the case. The agency announced Imran's arrest on August 29 – right after his three-year jail sentence was suspended in the Toshakhana case.