The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has moved the Supreme Court against the acquittal of former Prime Minister Imran Khan and ex-Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the cipher case.
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) had overturned the conviction of the jailed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders on June 3. Earlier this year, both were sentenced to 10 years in prison on charges of misusing and misplacing a classified diplomatic document. Their conviction came in January, just days before the general elections on February 8.
The cipher case traces back to March 27, 2022, when Imran Khan, during a public rally, waved a letter claiming it was a cipher from a foreign country that had allegedly conspired with his political rivals to remove the PTI government. Initially, he did not disclose the letter’s contents or the country’s name. However, days later, he accused the United States of orchestrating the plot and claimed that Donald Lu, Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Affairs, had pushed for his removal. Khan also alleged that the cipher contained a message stating that “all would be forgiven for Pakistan if Imran Khan were removed from power.”
In its petition to the Supreme Court, the FIA argued that the IHC’s judgment was arbitrary, inconsistent with the case records, and should be set aside. The agency contended that the high court overstepped its jurisdiction by granting relief beyond what is permitted by the Constitution or law.
The FIA also accused Imran Khan and Qureshi of non-cooperation during the trial, alleging that they deliberately delayed proceedings. The petition stated that multiple hearings were postponed at the request of the defense, and witnesses remained present in court but were not cross-examined.
Furthermore, the FIA asserted that the prosecution had presented substantial documentary evidence, including forensic analysis, which remained unchallenged during cross-examination. Despite this, the high court did not consider this evidence while acquitting the PTI leaders. The agency claimed that the judgment failed to highlight any specific grounds for acquittal or determine that the prosecution had not proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt.
The FIA has urged the Supreme Court to overturn the IHC’s ruling and reinstate the convictions of Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi.
