Supreme Court dismisses Imran Khan’s plea against his indictment in cipher case

The Supreme Court of Pakistan has dismissed former premier and PTI founder Imran Khan’s plea against his indictment in the cipher case after declaring it ineffective, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

A three-judge SC bench headed by Acting Chief Justice Sardar Tariq Masood and comprising Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Athar Minallah heard a petition filed by the former premier Imran Khan and former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi against their indictment in the cipher case and another plea seeking their bails in the same case on Friday.

The FIA prosecutor told the court that no notice was issued on Qureshi’s bail application, on which the acting chief justice remarked that he would issue the notice right now. “Why you are in a hurry, the prosecution is in the court, we are issuing the notice to the state for today.”

PTI founder’s lawyer Salman Safdar Advocate said that the trial of our case is going on till 6 pm, the trial is going on even after court hours. On which, Justice Sardar Tariq Masood remarked ‘people say that the case is not going on, if your case is going on why you are objecting?’

The PTI lawyer said that the court recorded statements of 13 witnesses in a hurry.

Justice Masood remarked speedy trial is the right of every accused. ‘Why do you want the trial is not held speedily’.

The lawyer said that the high court is hearing a case against the in-camera trial of the case. And the second petition is against the indictment, he added.

The acting CJP remarked that the indictment which was challenged has been dismissed by the high court. There will no effect on the new indictment of the old proceeding.

Then the acting CJP dismissed the petitioners’ plea against their indictment declaring it ineffective.

Lawyer Salman Safdar said Hamid Khan has amended the application, now it should be taken as a new application, on which Justice Mansoor Ali Shah said how can we hear the amended application before it is first heard by the High Court?

Justice Shah said that the indictment of December 13 was not challenged in the cipher case, on which lawyer Hamid Khan requested the court to wait for today's High Court proceedings.

The Acting Chief Justice said that even if the High Court acquits, nothing could be done on this petition, the petition against the indictment has become ineffective.

PTI's lawyer said, "Give it an adjournment today, maybe I will withdraw the petition filed against the indictment on the next hearing.”

On this, Sardar Tariq Masood said that if the indictment case is postponed, the bail application case would also be postponed."

Then the Supreme Court adjourned the hearing on the plea seeking bail in the cipher case on the request of PTI's lawyer.

Reporter Farzana Siddique