Islamabad: Today, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) is set to hear appeals filed by PTI founder and Shah Mahmood Qureshi against their conviction in the cipher case. The hearing will be presided over by a two-member bench led by Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Aamir Farooq.

Previously, the court had requested a response from the advocate general regarding the appointment of government lawyers.

In addition, today, the PTI founder and his wife Bushra Bibi’s appeal against sentences in the Toshakhana case will also be heard.

Senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawyer Babar Awan addressed Donald Lu’s statement during a Congressional hearing in the US. Awan pointed out that Lu’s statement exonerated the former prime minister and the PTI founder of any wrongdoing. According to Awan, Lu admitted that the PTI founder did not conspire and that the cipher was fake, not real.

Speaking to the media at the Islamabad High Court (IHC) premises, Babar Awan emphasized that, based on Lu’s statement, the cipher case was proven false. Awan stressed that if Lu’s statement was accurate, the cipher case lost its credibility. He reiterated that the PTI founder’s position on the cipher was validated by Lu’s admission that there was no conspiracy.

Awan also criticized the current government, accusing them of seizing power by stealing the public mandate. He questioned whether the US pressure on the Pak-Iran gas pipeline constituted interference in Pakistan’s internal affairs.

It is noteworthy that Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia Donald Lu expressed concerns yesterday over allegations of US interference in the electoral process in Pakistan.