PTI Founder Shah Mahmood Qureshi Granted Bail in Cypher Case

In a recent development, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, along with his close aide, has been granted bail in the cypher case by the Supreme Court of Pakistan. The decision came after a hearing before a three-member bench, comprising acting Chief Justice Sardar Tariq Masood, Justice Athar Minallah, and Justice Mansoor Ali Shah.

The bail, set at Rs100,000, was sought by the top leaders of PTI, including the former premier, who is currently in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail. The plea for bail was presented through Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s counsel, Salman Safdar.

During the hearing, questions arose regarding the alleged violation of rules by PTI founder. Prosecutor Rizwan Abbasi claimed that the rules in question were secretive and only revealed to those in power. Justice Mansoor Shah questioned the secrecy of rules, leading to an objection from Justice Athar Minallah about the prosecution’s own rule-breaking. The judges emphasized that a decoded cypher, once sent to the government, ceases to be as secretive as it once was.

justice Sardar Tariq raised concerns about the disappearance of a cypher mentioned in a National Security Committee meeting by former PM Shehbaz Sharif. The prosecutor clarified that only a copy of the decoded cypher was presented, not the original document.


Read More: Imran Khan Granted 4-Day Remand in £190 Million Settlement Case

Justice Mansoor Ali Shah strongly objected to the FIR in the case, questioning who determined that making a decoded document public harmed US-Pakistan relations. He also pondered the impact on Pakistan’s image internationally and whether similar circumstances as those in 1970 or 1977 could arise.


Read More: Imran Khan Declares No Compromise, Ready to Face Legal Battle

Justice Athar Minallah emphasized that the court is not only safeguarding PTI founder’s rights but also those of the people of Pakistan. He questioned the need for political leaders to undergo repression and urged the prosecution to explain the potential harm to the country if Shah Mahmood Qureshi is released, especially with elections approaching.