In the Cypher case, Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain allowed consultation with the defence lawyers before the cross-examination at the appeal of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi.
According to the 24News HD TV channel, Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain conducted the hearing of the cypher case in Adiala Jail on Wednesday and continued cross-examination of the witnesses including Cypher Assistant Muhammad Noman and Foreign Office Crypto Centre In charge Shamoun Qaiser.
Today's Hearing
At the beginning of the hearing, Shah Mehmood Qureshi requested the judge to be given time to consult his lawyers before starting the cross-examination because when the hearing of the case is over, they are locked in the cell and not allowed to meet the lawyers.
On this, Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain said that you should have consulted before the court time.
Replying to it, Qureshi told the Judge that they were brought here in the jail's courtroom after the time when he [the judge] comes here.
On this occasion, PTI Founder Imran Khan also told the judge that he and Shah Sahib know what happened in the cypher case so they should be given time to consult with the defence lawyers.
Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain said to Imran Khan that he had been told that until your family comes, you would not come to the courtroom. Replying to it, Imran Khan said that he would come to the courtroom only when his lawyers come.
After this argument, the judge accepted the request and allowed them to consult with their lawyers before the hearing in Jail.
Cross-Examination of Cypher Assistant Noman
The defence lawyers cross-examined Cypher Assistant Muhammad Noman during the Wednesday hearing and asked different questions related to the cypher. Noman told the court that the cypher telegram was of grade two. He did not write in the statement given to FIA that he downloaded the cypher message. The matter of downloading the cypher is a secret which cannot be disclosed. He converted the cypher to plain text and entered the number and date. His security clearance was repeated in 2015 and later on being posted as a Cypher Assistant. He did not get security clearance again on his return from India and posting in the crypto section of the Foreign Office.
Cross-Examination of Crypto Centre in-charge Shamoun
The defence lawyers also cross-examined Shamoun Qaiser who told the court on different questions that it was true that he was bound to inform the Chief Security Officer and the Intelligence Bureau (IB). According to the SOPs, the IB was not informed when the cypher copy was not returned to his office.
The defence lawyer asked the witness, was the senior security officer informed about the cypher copy not being returned. Witness Shamoun Qaiser replied that the security officer was informed who asked him to send the letter in writing, which was sent. He added that FIA was also informed about the cypher copy not being returned.
On a question of the defence lawyer that when was the cypher copy sent to the Army Chief returned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs? Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain interrupted the lawyer and said this question was not related to this case, and that you should limit your questions to this case.
More witnesses will be cross-examined tomorrow in the cypher case.