Court Rejects Bail Application Of Imran Khan, Aide Shah Mahmood Qureshi In Cypher Case

Islamabad: The bail application of Pakistan’s jailed former prime minister Imran Khan in the cypher case related to the alleged disclosure of state secrets was rejected by a special court in Pakistan on Thursday.

Khan and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi were arrested under the Official Secrets Act for allegedly misplacing and misusing a classified document for vested political interests.

The reserved verdict was announced by the special court Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain, who heard the bail applications of Khan and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi following completion of arguements by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party counsels.

Before the Cypher case, 70-year-old Khan was lodged at the District Jail, Attock, in Punjab province on August 5 after conviction in the Toshakhana case.

Citing that there have been 180 cases lodged against the former Pakistan prime minister, Khan’s counsel maintained that no other leader has been subjected to political victimisation to the extent the PTI chairperson is facing.

The judge rejected the post-arrest bail pleas of the two leaders.

Later in the afternoon, PTI’s legal affairs spokesperson lawyer, Naeem Haider Panjhutha, posted on X that the post-arrest bail pleas were dismissed.

“Unfortunate justice system,” he said.

On Wednesday, the special court extended the judicial remand of both leaders till September 26.

Though his sentence in the case was suspended by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on August 29, Khan remains in Attock prison in the cypher case. Last month, the special court extended his remand for 14 days till September 13.