PTI chairman’s bail plea in cipher case to be held in open court: IHC

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has announced that the hearing of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman’s bail plea in the cipher case will be conducted in an open court.

IHC Chief Justice Aamir Farooq announced the verdict earlier and said that the former prime minister’s bail plea would indeed be heard in an open court. Nonetheless, the court emphasised that if any sensitive information or documents were presented, the hearing would be conducted in-camera.

The decision was announced as the IHC disposed of the application submitted by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), which had sought in-camera proceedings for the PTI chief’s bail plea in this particular case.

The cipher case revolves around a diplomatic document that reportedly disappeared from the PTI chairman’s possession.

The PTI alleges that this document contained a threat from the United States to remove the party chairman from his office.

The former prime minister was transferred to Attock jail on August 5, 2023, after being sentenced to three years in prison in the Toshakhana graft case.

Following the suspension of this sentence, it came to light that he had been on judicial remand in the cipher case.

On September 26, the judicial remand of both PTI leaders was extended until October 10. Following the IHC’s orders, the PTI chief was relocated from Attock district jail to Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail.

Cipher case: Judge consults law ministry

On September 30, the FIA submitted a charge sheet (challan) in the Special Court established under the Official Secrets Act, naming Imran Khan and Qureshi as the principal accused in the cipher case.

Earlier this week, the FIA had requested in-camera proceedings for the PTI chief’s bail plea in the cipher case, citing concerns about the potential risk of harming relations with other countries during an open hearing.

Just a day ago, the Ministry of Law and Justice issued a notification regarding the jail trial of the former premier and former foreign minister in the cipher case.

The notification, citing a request from the Judge Special Court (Official Secrets Act), stated that the “Law and Justice Division has ‘no objection’ to the jail trial of the accused in which he is confined, under the Official Secrets Act.” However, the PTI rejected the law ministry’s notification and insisted that the case should be heard in an open court.

Meanwhile, PTI’s lawyer, Barrister Salman Safdar, termed the in-camera trial of the PTI chairman and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the cipher case as “unconstitutional.”

These remarks were made outside Adiala jail, where a special court oversaw a hearing of the cipher case, which has now been adjourned until October 9.

In anticipation of today’s hearing, Imran Khan’s lawyer, Naeem Haider Panjutha, announced that the legal team would soon meet with the party chief to discuss the case further.

Web Desk