The Islamabad High Court Tuesday reserved its verdict on an intra-court appeal filed by Pakistan’s former Prime Minister and Chairman of his party, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Imran Khan against a single-member bench’s decision that had approved his jail trial in the cipher case
File Photo/AFP
The Islamabad High Court Tuesday reserved its verdict on an intra-court appeal filed by Pakistan’s former Prime Minister and Chairman of his party, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Imran Khan against a single-member bench’s decision that had approved his jail trial in the cipher case.
A two-judge division bench, comprising Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb and Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz, is expected to announce the decision at 5:30pm, Dawn Newspaper reported.
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The cipher case pertains to a diplomatic document that the Federal Investigation Agency’s charge sheet alleges was never returned by Imran. The PTI has long held that the document contained a threat from the United States to oust Imran as prime minister.
The former premier and his aide Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who is also behind bars, were indicted in the case on Oct 23. Both have pleaded not guilty.
The IHC has endorsed Imran’s indictment, disposing of his plea against the same, but had also instructed the special court judge to ensure a “fair trial”.
Last week, the court halted trial court proceedings against the PTI chief while hearing his intra-court appeal.
During the previous hearing, the IHC sought the appointment record of the judge conducting the jail trial in the case. The court had also ordered the registrar to present the letter written by Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain to the IHC administration for permission to conduct the ex-PM’s trial in jail.
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As the proceedings resumed today, Imran’s lawyer Advocate Salman Akram Raja started presenting his arguments. Citing the high court rules, he said a judge’s permission was mandatory for a jail trial.
“The judge then informs relevant ministry via the high court or district magistrate or commissioner’s office,” he argued.
The hearing is held at a big hall in Adiala Jail, Awan further said, adding that the jail trial against Imran was being conducted due to security reasons.
After the AGP concluded his arguments, the bench reserved the verdict with Justice Aurangzeb saying that the court would first issue a short order and then a detailed one at a later time. (With inputs from agencies)
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