SC judge recuses from hearing in-chamber appeals about US cipher.

ISLAMABAD -- Supreme Court Justice Sardar Tariq Masood Tuesday recused himself from hearing the petitions seeking directions to probe a cipher - presented by PTI chairman Imran Khan as evidence of a 'foreign conspiracy' to oust him.

Justice Sardar who heard an appeal of advocate Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta and others against the SC Register Office's objections, referred the matter to the Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Umar Ata Bandial to fix it before another bench.

The petitioners have requested the Supreme Court to issue directions for a probe to find out the truth about the letter regarding 'international conspiracy'.

The petitioners prayed the apex court the government to depute one military and one civilian agency to investigate about threatening letter. Justice Tariq, after hearing the arguments, informed the counsel that due to personal reasons he did not want to hear this matter and referred it to the chief justice to fix it before another bench.

Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta in March last year had filed a petition in the Supreme Court under Article 184(3) of Constitution, and cited the federation through Law and Justice Division secretary as respondent.

Former prime minister Imran Khan on 27th March, 2022, while addressing a public rally of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers, had pulled out a piece of paper from his...