The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has overturned the convictions of Imran Khan, the founder of the PTI party, and Shah Mahmood Qureshi, the former Foreign Minister, in the cipher case.
The decision was made by a two-member bench consisting of Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb, who both ruled in favor of Khan and Qureshi.
This case started from a First Information Report (FIR) filed by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) under the Official Secrets Act. The FIR was filed after Imran Khan claimed there was an “international conspiracy” involving the United States. Khan’s claim suggested that foreign powers were interfering in Pakistan’s politics.
However, Azam Khan, who was an aide to Imran Khan, accused him of making up this conspiracy narrative. Despite these serious accusations, the IHC’s ruling is a significant legal victory for both Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi.
This decision means that the court did not find enough evidence to support their convictions, clearing them of the charges related to the cipher case.