Islamabad: On the appeal against the sentence in the cipher case, the Islamabad High Court has said that the cipher case; Imran Khan’s speech was political and Shah Mehmood’s speech was not understood at all.
In the High Court, a hearing was held on the appeal against the conviction of PTI founder Imran Khan and Shah Mehmood Qureshi in the cipher case. Chief Justice Amir Farooq and Justice Mian Gul Hasan Aurangzeb conducted the hearing.
Chief Justice Amir Farooq said that the appeal will be heard together and will decide on the merits of the appeal.
Barrister Salman Safdar, the lawyer of founder PTI, argued that Imran Khan and Shah Mehmood are accused of hatching a conspiracy in the Bani Gala meeting on March 28, 2022.
Salman Safdar read out the charges in the case and said that basically four types of charges have been leveled, founder PTI twisted the cipher and used it for his personal purposes, issued instructions to Principal Secretary Azam Khan. Why should the meeting minutes be twisted?
Salman Safdar said that it was alleged that the cipher telegram was illegally retained, the cipher security system was also compromised, the cipher text was made public, the cipher telegram text was altered to further his own purposes. used for
Salman Safdar read out the text of the speech of Shah Mahmood Qureshi on March 27 and said that Shah Mahmood Qureshi was not only accused of conspiracy and incitement, Shah Mahmood Qureshi was imprisoned for ten years on only four lines. The verdict was pronounced.
After hearing the text of the speech, Justice Mian Gul Hasan Aurangzeb said that I did not understand it at all. Salman Safdar said that on the basis of this speech, Shah Mehmood Qureshi was sentenced to ten years in prison.
Then lawyer Salman Safdar read out the speech of PTI founder in the court, on which Justice Mian Gul Hasan Aurangzeb remarked that it was a political speech.
Salman Safdar said that founder PTI was accused of illegally keeping the cipher, the court said it was deliberate and negligent.
The Chief Justice said that how can these two allegations be? Will it be intentional or will it be negligent?
The lawyer said that the founder PTI and Shah Mahmood Qureshi were accused of preparing a conspiracy in the meeting, in which the speeches were made on March 27, in the meeting in which the conspiracy was alleged to have been prepared, it was held on March 28. It is interesting that the speeches took place first and the plot developed later.
The Chief Justice said that unfortunately, the law that was made since 1947 did not say that you cannot change it. Another tragedy is that the law that we tamper with, they spoil.
The Chief Justice said that the secret document is sealed so that it does not come to the public. We want to ask what was that communication?
Advocate PTI said that we do not know this either, we have not seen that document, but no code, document or document has been disclosed, the link of armed forces, forbidden places and foreign powers is missing in this whole case. .
Justice Mian Gul Hasan Aurangzeb said that according to the law, it is necessary to tell the foreign power? What is the communication in that cipher? A man sent an item from Washington. What is it? This person told that if the thing falls into the hands of India, the security system will be affected. Was the cipher shown to the trial court judge? On this, Salman Safdar said that it was not shown.
Chief Justice Amir Farooq said, “Prosecutor sir, how will we know?”
Lawyer Salman Safdar said that on one side they say that PTI founder made everything public, on the other side they say that if the cipher is shown it will become public.
Justice Hasan Aurangzeb said that there is nothing to be kept secret in what you said, now tell us what is written in that cipher? Lawyer Salman Safdar said that I have not seen the cipher so I cannot tell what is written.
Chief Justice Amir Farooq said that then we will find out about it from the prosecution.
Later, the hearing of the cipher case was adjourned till tomorrow, Barrister Salman Safdar will continue arguments tomorrow.
