Ijaz Kakakhel Islamabad
The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued notices to the federation and the interior ministry on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan’s bail plea in the cipher case.
The petition was heard by a three-member bench comprising Justice Sardar Tariq Masood Justice YahyaAfridi and Justice Ayesha Malik. At the outset, the bench asked when the issue came up and the punishment it carries if a person is found guilty. Barrister Salman Safdar, Khan’s counsel, then briefed the court on the inquiry report and accusations made against the former prime minister in the case. He added that Khan’s then-principal secretary Azam Khan also accused the PTI chief of misusing the cipher. Justice Masood then inquired whether the role of co-accused was determined in the case.
The lawyer stated that Asad Umar had been released while Azam Khan from being an accused was turned into a witness for the case. On this, Justice Afridi interjected and stated that in the inquiry it was said that the co-accused’s role be determined during the interrogation and asked what was said in the final investigation report by the investigating officer.
Safdar shared that the investigation officer did not adopt a clear stance. He added that Azam was “kidnapped” and after the “kidnapping” his statement was recorded under Section 164.
