Special Court Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain, who is hearing the cipher case against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi, has gone on leave until September 8, Aaj News reported.

In a video posted on X (formerly Twitter), Imran’s lawyer Naeem Haider Panjutha said that when the legal team arrived at the court, they found out that Judge Zulqarnain was on leave for a week.

He further said that they requested Administrative Judge Raja Jawad Abbas to preside over the case but he refused to do so, saying that he was not authorised.

Panjutha said they will now approach the Islamabad High Court to find out who can hear the case while Judge Zulqarnain is on leave.

The cipher case in question is related to “misuse” of alleged contents of a diplomatic cipher, cited by ex-premier Imran as proof of an attempt to remove his government, in which Qureshi was foreign minister.

The PTI chairman is in Attock Jail while Qureshi is incarcerated in Adiala Jail in relation to the case.

Cipher case background

A case was registered against Imran and Qureshi under under Sections 5 and 9 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923.

According to the copy of the FIR registered on August 15, consequent upon the conclusion of inquiry No 111/2023 upon the complaint registered in the Counter Terrorism Wing (CTW), FIA, it transpired that former prime minister namely, Imran Ahmad Khan Niazi, former foreign minister namely, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, and their other associates are involved in the communication of information contained in the secret classified document (cipher telegram received from Parep Washington dated March 7, 2022, to secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs) to the unauthorised persons (i.e., public at large) by twisting the facts to achieve their “ulterior motives” and personal gains in a manner prejudicial to the interests of state security.