Daily Times

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday ruled that the hearing of PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s bail plea in the cipher case would be held in an open court, but would be in-camera when “sensitive information” is discussed.

The decision came as the IHC disposed of the application filed by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) seeking in-camera proceedings of the PTI chief’s bail plea in the case. The cipher case pertains to a diplomatic document which reportedly went missing from Imran’s possession. The PTI alleges that it contained a threat from the United States to oust the party chairman from office.

Imran was shifted to Attock jail on August 5, 2023, after a court sentenced him to three years in prison in the Toshakhana graft case. Following the suspension of the sentence, it had emerged that he had been on judicial remand in the cipher case.

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

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

Earlier this week, the FIA had sought in-camera proceedings of the PTI chief’s bail plea in the cipher case and had informed the IHC that an open hearing of the same could pose a “risk of deteriorating relations with other countries”.

On Wednesday, pronouncing the reserved verdict on the FIA’s application, IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq ruled that an open court would hear Imran’s bail plea.

However, the court stated that “upon sensitive information or documents being brought on record”, the hearing would be made in-camera.

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

He made the remarks while talking to the media outside Adiala jail, where the special court presided over a hearing of the cipher case, which was adjourned until October 9.