In Islamabad, the Official Secrets Act Court has postponed the hearing of the cipher case at Adiala Jail until tomorrow. Statements from four witnesses, including the former foreign secretary and former interior secretary, were documented during the proceedings.
Express News reported that Special Court Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain presided over the cipher case, where the founder of PTI appeared. The testimonies of former Foreign Secretary Sohail Mehmood, former Interior Secretary Yusuf Naseem, and Assistant Commissioner Islamabad were recorded.
Former Foreign Secretary Sohail Mehmood mentioned that the cipher copy wasn’t returned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs during his tenure. The prosecutor, Rizwan Abbasi, intervened, prompting objections from Shah Mehmood, who insisted that the written statement was already available. Shah Mehmood Qureshi, expressing respect for the former foreign secretary, urged the prosecutor to present the written decision rather than intervening in the witness’s statement. He also emphasized the prosecutor refraining from questioning the witness without proper grounds.
In response, Prosecutor Rizwan Abbasi asked if he had posed a misleading question, to which Shah Mehmood Qureshi questioned the balance of the prosecution’s approach, citing the High Court’s nullification of the case proceedings twice.
Despite objections from Shah Mehmood Qureshi, the judge urged him to refrain from interference, stating that his behavior was inappropriate. Shah Mehmood Qureshi defended his right to speak, and his lawyer, Ali Bukhari, requested the court to write the witness statement themselves.
During the exchange between the judge and Shah Mehmood Qureshi, the PTI founder, who was present, asserted that efforts were being made to protect only Donald Low.
The judge addressed Shah Mehmood Qureshi again, advising him to let the process proceed smoothly if it seemed otherwise. Shah Mehmood Qureshi questioned the need for prosecution interference when both the former prime minister and foreign minister trusted the foreign secretary.
In response to Shah Mehmood Qureshi’s objections, the court prohibited Prosecutor Rizwan Abbasi from intervening while recording the witness’s statement. After recording statements from four witnesses, the court adjourned further proceedings until tomorrow.
