The federal government has challenged the Islamabad High Court’s acquittal of former Prime Minister Imran Khan and former Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the cipher case before the Supreme Court.

On June 3, the Islamabad High Court acquitted Khan and Qureshi in the cipher case, a decision that has been met with strong opposition from the government.

Justice Aamer Farooq, presiding over the case, had accepted the appeals against the convictions in the cipher case, leading to the acquittal of both Khan and Qureshi.

Following the High Court’s decision, the federal government decided to appeal the acquittal in the Supreme Court, filing a petition through the Ministry of Interior.

In its appeal, the government argues that the High Court lacked the jurisdiction to hear the appeals in the cipher case, stating that it is a settled principle that courts cannot add to legislation through judicial pronouncements when the parliament has not included a specific provision in the law.

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The petition further alleges that Khan and Qureshi exhibited non-cooperative behavior during the trial, citing numerous instances of delaying tactics through 65 separate applications filed by the accused. Despite the presence of witnesses in the case, the defense lawyers failed to cross-examine them. The petition also highlights the provision of legal counsel to the accused at government expense.

The government contends that the principle of sending cases back for retrial when legal requirements are not met during a trial applies in this case. It argues that the prosecution presented solid evidence, including documentary and forensic proof, which was not refuted during the trial.

The government alleges that the Islamabad High Court disregarded the substantial evidence presented in the cipher case.

The petition requests the Supreme Court to schedule hearings for the appeals against the Islamabad High Court’s acquittal decision in the cipher case dated June 3.