Imran, Qureshi’s acquittals in cypher case challenged in SC
The interior ministry on Thursday challenged the acquittal of PTI founder Imran Khan and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the cipher case before the Supreme Court. The ministry, in its appeal, adopted the stance that the Islamabad High Court (IHC) did not have the authority to hear the duo’s appeals in the case, adding that the “overwhelming evidence” of the prosecution was ignored. The cipher case originated from Imran's public display of a paper during a rally in Islamabad on March 27, 2022, claiming it as evidence of an "international conspiracy" before a vote of no-confidence led to his government's ouster. On January 30, a special court established under the Official Secrets Act awarded Imran and Qureshi 10 years’ imprisonment in the case. Later, both the leaders appealed against the verdict in the IHC. On June 3, the IHC acquitted both the leaders, suspending their 10-year sentence. On Thursday, the interior ministry’ appeal maintained that the Of...