Former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has also filed an appeal against his sentence in the cipher case at the Islamabad High Court.
Qureshi's appeal, aimed at overturning the January 30 decision of the Official Secrets Act special court, requests his acquittal and the annulment of the verdict.
The appeal was formally submitted by Barrister Taimur Malik and Ali Bukhari, representing Shah Mahmood Qureshi. In addition to the appeal, Qureshi has also asked to suspend the decision and has filed a bail application, seeking his release till a final decision on the appeal.
After the filing of the appeals today for IK through @BrSalmanSafdar, Sikander Zulqarnain and @SyedAliZafar1, we have also filed an appeal against the rushed and unlawful conviction of SMQ in the Cypher case. We prevailed in the public’s court and will now InshAllah be successful…
— Taimur Malik (@taimur_malik) February 16, 2024
The petition filed on behalf of Qureshi emphasizes the urgency of suspending the judgment pending the appeal process and highlights the plea for bail during this interim period. This strategic move underscores Qureshi's commitment to contesting the verdict and seeking legal recourse to assert his innocence.
Also Read: Imran Khan's convictions in cipher, Toshakhana cases challenged in IHC
Earlier today, former prime minister Imran Khan also filed appeals against his conviction in both cipher and Toshakhana cases of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). The appeals were filed in the Islamabad High Court by Khan's legal team.
The Official Secrets Act special court convicted Khan in the cipher case on January 30, while the Islamabad Accountability Court sentenced him and his wife, Bushra Bibi, in the Toshakhana case on January 31.
In the appeals, Imran Khan has sought to declare the sentences in both cases null and void. He has also urged the court to suspend his sentence and grant bail till a final decision on his appeals.
Additionally, an appeal related to the Iddat case was also submitted in the sessions court.