Pakistan Supreme Court grants bail to Imran Khan, Shah Mahmood in Cipher Case

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Pakistan's Supreme Court on Friday granted bail to former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his close aide Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the cipher case related to the alleged leakage of state secrets. Qureshi served as the country's foreign minister during Imran Khan's stint as the Prime Minister of the country.

The relief came as a three-member bench of the Pakistan Supreme Court, headed by Justice Sardar Tariq Masood and comprising Justices Athar Minallah and Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, approved their bail petitions and directed the leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party to submit surety bonds worth Rs 1 million each, as reported by Dawn newspaper.

The cipher case revolves around accusations that Khan, 71, and Qureshi, 67, mishandled a diplomatic document sent by the Pakistan embassy in March last year, violating the country's secret laws.

The Federal Investigation Agency's charge sheet alleges that the document, never returned by Khan, contained a threat from the United States to oust him as prime minister. The PTI has consistently asserted this claim.

Despite the bail approval, Imran Khan will continue to remain in jail due to his conviction in the Toshakhana corruption case. The Pakistan Supreme Court's decision follows a fresh start to the cipher trial at Adiala district jail after Khan and Qureshi were indicted for a second time on December 13. The trial initially began on October 23 but faced setbacks when the Islamabad High Court deemed the government's notification for a jail trial "erroneous" and annulled the proceedings.

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Previously, Khan and Qureshi, both currently incarcerated, had pleaded not guilty to the charges. The Islamabad High Court endorsed Khan's indictment while instructing the special court judge to ensure a "fair trial."

Imran Khan, ousted through a vote of no-confidence in April 2022, faces a slew of legal challenges, with over 150 cases registered against him since his removal from power.

The bail approval in the cipher case marks a legal respite for Khan and Qureshi, although Khan's incarceration in the Toshakhana corruption case persists. (With inputs from Press Trust of India)