Case against Imran, Qureshi under Official Secrets Act: IHC stresses need for caution as offence entails death penalty, life term

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has observed that the sections applied to the cipher case against Imran Khan involve death and life-term penalties, and the case against co-accused Shah Mehmood Qureshi will also be seen in the same context.

The court issued a detailed decision on Saturday, rejecting the bail of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi in the cipher case.

IHC Chief Justice Aamir Farooq issued the detailed 10-page judgment, saying that the accused of abetment, conspiracy or aiding and abetting of crime would be treated as the main accused.

The court decision said that bail was not a deterrent to punishment; courts were cautious in granting bail to those accused against whom sections involving death and life-term penalties had been slapped, and bail could not be granted in such cases unless there was a reasonable cause.

In the judgment, it was said that the court rejected the bail and directed that the trial should be completed in four weeks.