Cipher case: Court appoints state defence counsels after PTI lawyers fail to appear

RAWALPINDI (92 News) - Official Secret Act Special Court Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain on Saturday appointed two state defence counsels after counsels for the PTI founder and vice-president Shah Mahmood Qureshi failed to appear in the cipher case.

The court appointed Malik Abdur Rehman and Hazrat Younis as counsels for the PTI founder and Shah Mahmood Qureshi respectively.

During the hearing held in Adiala jail, the judge issued a warning to the PTI founder who earlier exchanged hot words with him. Shah Mahmood Qureshi snatched the file from the state defence counsel and threw it towards the wall.

The judge expressed his indignation at absence of the defence counsels from the hearing, directing them for third time to ensure their presence.

On December 13, the court had framed charges against the PTI chairman and vice-president Shah Mahmood Qureshi. However, both pleaded not guilty in the case.