Cipher case detailed judgement mentions damage to foreign relations, delaying tactics
Pakistan
PTI founding chairman, Qureshi get 24 and 20 years of jail term in total
RAWALPINDI/ISLAMABAD (Dunya News/Web Desk) – The cipher episode damaged Pakistan’s relations with other nations, which benefitted the rival countries, says the special court judge in the detailed verdict issued on Thursday.
It mentioned that their actions compromised the entire communication system with other countries. The cipher was received by the Foreign Office from Pakistan embassy in the United States, the court said while mentioning the sensitive nature the diplomatic document and the trust between the two nations attached to the same.
The cipher was used for personal gains as the two convicts misused their offices as the prime minister and the foreign minister while violating their oaths and thus adversely affected Pakistan’s ties with friendly countries.
In a 77-page judgement, the judge, Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain, noted that the two convicts – the PTI founder and his close associate Shah Mehmood Qureshi – cited cheap excuses in the shape of so-called strains and tried to portray themselves as hapless during the proceedings to get sympathy. The right to fair trial doesn’t apply to a cunning accused.
THE SENTENCE
As far as the jail term is concerned, the PTI founding chairman has been awarded a total of 24 years of rigorous imprisonment – 10 years each under two different sections of the Official Secrets Act and two years each under two others.
On the other hand, Qureshi got a total of 20-year imprisonment – 10 years each under two sections.
However, they would spend a maximum of 10 years in prison as all the sentences would be in effect simultaneously.
THE LIES
In the verdict issued by the special court established under the Official Secrets Act, the judge also dwelt upon the narrative developed by the convicts, which has nothing to do with the facts.
The PTI founding chairman and Qureshi – the then prime minister and foreign minister respectively – deliberately lied about the issue.
Moreover, the statement recorded by Azam Khan – who was the principal secretary to the prime minister at that time – was factual and helped the prosecution develop and present strong arguments.
THE IMMATURE ATTITUDE
The verdict also mentions that the statements of 25 witnesses were recorded during the proceedings, but the defence counsel’s approach wasn’t serious during the entire process. They were even absent on Jan 27.
Moreover, the convicts misbehaved with the state defence counsel and threw away the case files. After the arrival of defence counsel – Usman Gul and Ali Bokhari – they were given time for cross-examination of witnesses, but they refused, after the state defence counsel got involved in the process.
The prosecutors not only presented witnesses but also documentary proof and there is nothing in the record to suggest that the prosecution’s witnesses had any shortcoming.
THE DELAYING TACTICS
Another aspect of the defence tactics are attempts to lengthen the court proceedings as the verdict also records that different lawyers appeared before the court on behalf of the PTI founding chairman and Qureshi. They filed multiple applications as part of the delaying tactics and made mockery of the law.
Also, the attitude shown by the two convicts was also before the court, which is exemplified by the fact that they didn’t even sign the statements they had given under Section 342, as the court provided them with ample opportunity to argue their case.
