Daily Times

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has found no malice in holding Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan’s jail trial in a cipher case in view of security concerns.

IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq announced the court’s decision on the PTI chief’s plea challenging authorities’ move to hold his trial in Adiala jail in the case registered under the Official Secrets Act.

The IHC CJ directed Imran Khan to approach the trial court if he had reservations over the matter.

The PTI chairman, whose government was sent home after a vote of no confidence was passed in the Parliament in April last year, requested the IHC that his trial be held in a court and not the jail.

“The jail trial is in favour of the PTI chairman in view of his security,” the court said, adding that Khan has repeatedly expressed his fears about his safety.

Meanwhile, PTI Vice Chairman Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi has also filed a petition in the IHC challenging his jail trial and requesting the court to annul the trial court’s order of October 9 in which the special court said that both Khan and the senior politician will be indicted in the cipher case on October 17.

The date for the indictment was set after the copies of the challan, submitted to the court by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), were provided to the counsels of the accused.

Qureshi’s petition argued that the court restrained the trial court from indicting him.

“My jail trial continues without notification. The court should stop the jail trial and direct an open trial,” Qureshi pleaded in his petition.

The IHC also heard Imran Khan’s another plea seeking dismissal of cipher case and stay of its trial.

During the hearing of the case, the IHC chief justice asked the FIA prosecutor to give its arguments.

The FIA prosecutor requested for the hearing to be adjourned.