Imran Khan Arrested In The Cipher Case, Hours After Being Granted Bail In Toshakhana Corruption Case

Former Pakistan Prime was arrested, hours after being granted bail by the Islamabad High Court. Imran Khan was arrested again, hours after he was released on bail, in the Toshakhana corruption case. The Islamabad High Court had suspended the former Pakistan Prime Minister’s three-year sentence, earlier today. However, hours after the verdict, Khan was detained under the Official Secrets Act. Arrested in the cipher case, Khan has been accused of misusing a confidential diplomatic cable(cipher) for his personal profit- an alleged disclosure of state secrets, while he was in power. 

Khan will stay in custody and be produced in court on Wednesday, August 30. The 70-year-old Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman was sentenced to three years in prison on August 5. He was sentenced for unlawfully selling state gifts acquired by him and his family during his 2018-2022 tenure.pt - during his time as the prime minister from 2018 to 2022 and proceeds from their reported sales. As per reports, Khan received 58 gifts worth more than Rs 140 million from world leaders during his three-and-a-half year stint, while he retained them either by paying a negligible or no payment. 

However, he filed a plea with the High Court, challenging his conviction in the Toshakhana Case, and was eventually granted bail after his petition got adjourned several times by the High Court. A division bench comprising IHC Chief Justice Aamir Farooq and Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri’s announcement of the anticipated verdict has left people speculating if the move was an arrangement to fix him in another case. 

"All we are saying now is that (Khan's) request has been approved,” Justice Farooq said, referring to the former premier's appeal against his conviction and prison term. The bench had also ordered the release of the politician on the production of surety bonds worth Rs 100,000. 

“The CJ has accepted our request, suspended the sentence, and said in a detailed decision would be provided later,” tweeted Naeem Haider Panjotha, Khan’s lawyer, shortly after the hearing. Khan has, nevertheless, been barred from contesting elections for the next five years, this includes the upcoming elections. 

However, hours later, a special court holding his trial in the Official Secrets Act directed the Attock Jail Authorities to keep the former PM in the “judicial lockup” and produce him before the court on August 30. Deputy and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi is also in custody for the same case. The case alleges that the former Prime Minister and others were involved in the violation of the secret laws of the country.