NEW DELHI: Providing relief to former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, and his close aide, Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s bail was granted by the Supreme Court, on Friday.
The bail was in relation to the alleged leakage of state secrets. The bail order was approved by a three-member bench led by Justice Sardar Tariq Maqsood, and Justices Athar Minallah and Syed Mansoor Ali Shah. This was done while addressing petitions filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders.
The apex court had directed PTI leaders to submit surety bonds worth Rs 1 million each.
The registered case had stated that the allegations were based on the violation of secrecy laws stating that Khan and Qureshi had mishandled a diplomatic document sent by the Pakistan Embassy in 2022.
Pakistan’s former PM Imran Khan granted bail pic.twitter.com/hx2i329fA8
— Bella Morne (@BellaMorne) December 22, 2023
It is stated by the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) chargesheet that Khan never returned the documents. According to the chargesheet, PTI has held on to the documents ever since then which allegedly contain details regarding the US planning the former PM’s ouster.
The Special Court (Official Secrets Act) had begun the cipher trial afresh, earlier in December, where he was lodged at the Adiala district jail. This marked their second indictment on December 13.
They were initially booked on October 28, when both had pled not guilty. The entire court proceeding was nullified after it was found that four witnesses had already recorded their statements before the court went to session. The Islamabad High Court termed the government’s notification for a jail trial “erroneous”.
Supreme Court of Pakistan grants bail to former PM Imran Khan and SM Qureshi in the cipher case. It happens a day after Gen Asim Munir returns from US. Did the Americans asked for Imran to be released. Interesting times ahead if that is the case.
— Raja Muneeb (@RajaMuneeb) December 22, 2023
Earlier, Khan was ousted through a vote of ‘no-confidence’ in 2020. More than 150 cases have been registered against him since then. Presently, he is still imprisoned in the Toshakhana corruption case.