Shah Mehmood Qureshi's Cipher Case Hearing Postponed by Islamabad High Court

The Islamabad High Court's division bench, led by Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb, has postponed the hearing of appeals against the conviction of PTI founder and former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi in the cipher case. The next hearing is scheduled for May 2, 2024.

During the hearing, FIA prosecutors Hamid Ali Shah and Zulifqar Abbas Naqvi, along with defence lawyers including Barrister Salman Safdar, presented their arguments. Prosecutor Hamid Ali Shah highlighted that charges were framed against Qureshi in the presence of the accused. He emphasized that Qureshi failed to return the copy of the cipher to the Foreign Office, as confirmed by witness Imran Sajid, the FO's Deputy Director Cipher Security.

According to the prosecutor, the document was classified, and evidence was provided regarding the registration of cipher details in a record. It was mentioned that despite approvals for distribution, the copy sent to the PM House through the SSP office was not returned by Qureshi, as claimed by former principal secretary Azam Khan.

Although there were signatures acknowledging receipt of the document at the PM Office, there was no concrete evidence of its handover to the then prime minister. The court decided to adjourn the case for further proceedings until the next hearing date.

The cipher case involves allegations against Shah Mehmood Qureshi for not returning a classified document to the Foreign Office during his tenure as the foreign minister. The case has raised questions about the handling of sensitive information and official protocols.

The adjournment of the hearing signifies a delay in the resolution of the cipher case against Shah Mehmood Qureshi, as the court awaits additional evidence and arguments from both the prosecution and the defence.