Daily Times

IHC stated on Wednesday that the hearing on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan’s bail plea in the cypher case registered under the Official Secrets Act will be held in open court.

The IHC reserved its decision earlier this week on the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) request for an in-camera hearing on Imran Khan’s bail application in the Cypher case.

According to the verdict issued today, the IHC has scheduled an open court hearing on the bail petition for October 9. However, the court has decided that arguments by lawyers regarding documents deemed sensitive will be heard behind closed doors.

On Monday, the FIA requested an in-camera hearing on Khan’s bail application in the cypher case, citing concerns that an open court hearing could jeopardise Pakistan’s diplomatic relations with other countries if sensitive issues were discussed publicly.

FIA Special Prosecutor Shah Khawar had argued that a trial cannot be made public under the Official Secrets Act and that they would make a similar argument in the trial court. He emphasised that certain statements and information, including those relating to other countries, must be kept confidential.

Salman Safdar, Imran Khan’s lawyer, had objected to the FIA’s request for an in-camera hearing.

Following his arrest in the cypher case, Imran Khan filed a bail application in the IHC last month. The case against Imran Khan and his party’s Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi is being overseen by a special court established under the Official Secrets Act. Their post-arrest bail applications had previously been denied by the special court.