Special court in Pakistan adjourns cipher case hearing against Imran Khan until Friday

Islamabad, Nov 7 (PTI) A special court in Pakistan on Tuesday adjourned the hearing of the cipher case against former prime minister Imran Khan until November 10 after recording statements of witnesses.

The special court headed by Justice Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain held the trial hearing in the high-security Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi where Pakistan-Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Khan has been kept since September 26 following his shifting from the district jail in Attock.

According to the PTI party, the trial under a special secret act was conducted within the jail premises.

“Statements (were) recorded from witnesses by prosecution, (and) hearing (was) adjourned till Friday, November 10,” the party said in a brief statement.

It was not clear how many witnesses recorded their statements.

On the last hearing on October 31, ten witnesses had come to record statements against 71-year-old Khan and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who is a co-accused in the case relating to the secret document sent by Pakistan's embassy in Washington in March 2022.

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) registered the case against Khan and Qureshi in August this year for violating Pakistan's secrecy laws by allegedly divulging details of the official diplomatic communication.

However, their statements were not recorded and the case was adjourned until Tuesday.

Khan, a cricketer-turned-politician, and Qureshi were indicted on October 23 in the cipher case.

According to the charge sheet submitted by the FIA on September 30 against the two leaders under the Official Secrets Act, 1923, Khan had violated the Official Secrets Act by unlawfully keeping a diplomatic cipher (diplomatic cable) in his possession.

Qureshi was accused of facilitating Khan as foreign minister at that time. PTI SH PY AKJ PY PY