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government contests Imran Khan and Qureshi’s exoneration in the cipher case

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4 months ago

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On Thursday, the federal government led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif filed a lawsuit in the Supreme Court contesting the exoneration of former Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and former Prime Minister Imran Khan in the well-known cipher case.

Citing procedural and jurisdictional issues, the Ministry of Interior has appealed the Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) ruling.

In hearing the cipher case, the High Court allegedly overreached its power, arguing that judges cannot change laws where Parliament has not expressly passed legislation.

Despite receiving government-funded legal representation, the petition emphasized Imran Khan and Shah Mehmood Qureshi’s lack of cooperation during the trial, submitting 65 separate motions and neglecting to cross-examine witnesses.

The petition contended that in order for a retrial to satisfy legal standards, the High Court should have ignored important evidence that was given during the trial. It requests that the appeals contesting the IHC’s June 3 acquittal be given a hearing date by the Supreme Court.

Case history

The cipher issue concerns a supposed diplomatic document that disappeared from Imran Khan’s custody. The cipher allegedly contained threats from the US to remove Khan from office, according to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. Shah Mehmood Qureshi and several aides, including Asad Umar, are named in the First Information Report (FIR) submitted by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in accordance with Section 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code and Sections 5 and 9 of the Official Secrets Act.

The then-foreign secretary received a diplomatic cipher from Washington on March 7, 2022, according to the FIR. The lawsuit claims that by manipulating the data for their own benefit, Khan and Qureshi put the safety of the country at risk. It alleges that on March 28, 2022, Khan secretly met at his Bani Gala home and gave his Principal Secretary, Muhammad Azam Khan, instructions to change the content of the cipher to his advantage, jeopardizing national security.

The document asserts that Khan still has custody of the cipher, jeopardizing Pakistan’s encrypted messaging systems and possibly helping foreign forces, which would be detrimental to the nation. A complaint has been filed by the FIA’s Anti-Terrorism Wing against Khan, Qureshi, and other individuals for improper use of state secrets and unapproved possession of the cipher.

Acquittal by the Islamabad High Court

In the cipher case, on June 3, the IHC cleared Khan and Qureshi when Justice Aamir Farooq issued a succinct ruling in their favor. Their sentences were appealed in the case, which has since been a source of political and legal controversy, leading to their acquittal.

This acquittal and the ongoing legal and political struggles surrounding the cipher case are highlighted by the government’s subsequent move to contest it.

With potentially huge ramifications for the parties involved and the larger political scene, the Supreme Court’s decision over whether to hear the appeal will be keenly scrutinized.

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Minutes after taking off from Lahore airport, a private airline plane was “hit by a bird.”

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Details show that an aircraft from Lahore to Karachi took off from the airport in Lahore, but it made a problematic landing a few seconds later.

The aircraft carrying 180 passengers was successfully landed at the Lahore airport by the pilot. They have moved the passengers of the impacted flight to the airport lounge.

Bird strikes on aircraft have been documented occasionally at the nation’s airports, yet the problem persists in spite of the CAA’s assertions.

In the first 11 months of 2022, birds struck at least 57 Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) aircraft.

Details indicate that PIA published a report on aircraft struck by birds in 2022.

53 bird-hit instances were documented between January and October, and four incidents were logged in November, the study states. The airport in Lahore International was the site of most of the incidents.

According to the research, five of the 57 PIA aircraft were damaged in 2022 due to bird collisions, but the aircraft were spared significant damage in 59 instances.

In addition, the birds struck twelve PIA planes during approach, eight during takeoff, and 21 after landing.

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Deputy Prime Minister to Represent Pakistan at CHOGM in Samoa in 2024

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Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar, the deputy prime minister and foreign minister, will lead Pakistan’s delegation to the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Samoa.

Pakistan’s views on major global issues and concerns will be discussed at the conference by the Deputy Prime Minister, who will concentrate on climate change, economic growth, and enhancing international collaboration within the Commonwealth.

His keynote speech at the Commonwealth Business Forum on “Transforming Our Workforce” will focus on Pakistan’s focus on digital transformation, skill development, and youth empowerment.

He will converse with the heads of delegation from other Commonwealth nations as well.

Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, the spokesperson for the Foreign Office, said in a statement that Pakistan’s attendance at CHOGM 2024 is a reflection of its ongoing dedication to the Commonwealth and its ties with tiny island pacific nations.

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China Contributes 43 New Foreign Firms to the 6% Growth in SECP Registrations

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The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan has registered 2,617 new firms this year, a 6% increase from 2023, with assistance from the Special Investment Facilitation Council. This increases the overall number of businesses that are registered to 231,111.

Non-profits, trade associations, and public unlisted firms make up 4% of these, while private limited corporations make up 55% and single-member companies 41%. It is noteworthy that 99.8% of the registrations were done online, demonstrating SECP’s attempts to digitise.

Real estate has 237 new businesses, services has 306, and trade has 377 new businesses. These are the main sectors exhibiting growth. While the healthcare and textile industries each had 49 new businesses, the education sector saw 101.

China contributed the most, adding 43 new companies, out of the 61 new companies that were registered as a result of foreign investment.

These recently registered businesses are anticipated to decrease imports, increase domestic production, and contribute to closing the trade deficit.

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