ISLAMABAD: The Special Court formed to try suspects under the Official Secrets Act on Tuesday granted pre-arrest interim bail to former minister Asad Umar in the cipher case.

Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain granted interim bail to Mr Umar against a surety bond of Rs100,000.

Advocate Babar Awan, counsel for Mr Umar, argued that the case was politically motivated and there was no evidence against his client.

Mr Awan claimed that the FIA implicated Mr Umar in the cipher case to blackmail him, adding that his client is willing to join the investigation as and when required. The court granted Mr Umar bail till August 29.

The same court had, on August 21, handed over former foreign minister and PTI vice chairman Shah Mehmood Qur­eshi to the FIA for four days.

Meanwhile, an anti-terrorism court (ATC) extended the bail of Mr Umar till October 12 in a case registered against him at Sangjani Police Station over violence and damaging public property.

Published in Dawn, August 23rd, 2023