ISLAMABAD:A special court on Wednesday extended till September 26 the judicial remand of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and party’s Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the cipher case.
The special court established under the Official Secrets Act conducted the hearing in Attock jail. Special court Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain directed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to submit a challan on September 26 in the cipher case.
Imran Khan is imprisoned in Attock jail since his conviction in the Toshakhana case on August 5 for failing to properly declare gifts he received while in office.
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) had overturned a trial court’s decision to jail Imran Khan for three years with an Rs100, 000 fine. However, he remains behind bars due to his arrest in the cipher case.
Shah Mahmood Qureshi was taken into custody on August 19 in the cipher case. On Wednesday, Qureshi was presented before the special court Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain at the Federal Judicial Complex (FJC), Islamabad upon completion of his judicial remand.
The Judge was not available as he had gone to Attock jail to hear the case against Imran Khan. However, the court officials contacted the judge, who ordered that Qureshi’s attendance be marked and extended his judicial remand till September 26. Now, Qureshi will be presented before the special court again on September 26.
The cipher case pertains to a diplomatic document which reportedly went missing from Imran Khan’s possession. The PTI alleges that it contained a threat from the United States to oust Imran Khan from power.
