Imran initially discussed the Cipher on March 27, 2022.
The word “cipher” resurfaced in Pakistani politics when a special court constituted under the Official Secrets Act convicted former Prime Minister Imran Khan and ex-Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi to ten years in prison in what has become a high-profile “cipher case.”
This issue centered on a diplomatic paper that Imran Khan reportedly mismanaged, with claims that it included a threat from the United States to remove him from power.
The former premier’s allegations sparked outrage as Khan claimed there was a plot against him. On December 13, the special court began the Cipher trial at Adiala district jail and indicted Imran and Qureshi for the second time.
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Legal Maneuvers and Conflicts.
Imran and Qureshi were first indicted in October, but the Islamabad High Court (IHC) ruled that the government’s notification for a prison trial was “erroneous,” and the proceedings were dropped.
Last week, state defense counsels were appointed due to the absence of previously assigned ones. Imran, an opponent of the trial, called it a “joke” because both the prosecution and defense teams were government employees.
What is the Cipher Case?
A cipher is a hidden means of writing important communications in coded language. The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) accused Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi of violating the Official Secrets Act by disclosing the cipher for a sensitive diplomatic document.
The paper, which was encrypted and difficult to read, apparently contained information on a meeting between US State Department officials and Pakistan’s then-ambassador, Asad Majeed Khan.
The contentious paper described a meeting on March 7, 2022, between US officials and Asad Majeed Khan. The full document is still classified under the Official Secrets Act, but The Intercept published a part that revealed a threatening warning issued by the US through Pakistan’s envoy.
This discovery coincided with political maneuvers against Imran, which culminated in his removal following a successful no-confidence vote.
Imran’s Claims and US Denials
Imran initially discussed the secret paper on March 27, 2022, at a conference in Islamabad, citing it as evidence of a worldwide plot against him.
He then stated that the United States had issued a threatening message via Pakistan’s representative. The US State Department has frequently denied that it encouraged Pakistani officials to remove Imran from office.
