Trial of Imran Khan
ISLAMABAD: Islamabad High Court endorsed the government’s decision of holding trial of Imran Khan in Adiala Jail in connection with the cipher case hearing.
The Chief Justice of the IHC Aamir Farooq announced the reserved decision on Monday. Imran Khan’s legal team challenged the notification authorizing the trial of the cipher case in Adiala Jail instead of an open court.
The IHC chief judge said that the trial of Imran Khan in jail is for the security of the PTI chief.
According to the IHC’s decision, Imran Khan has expressed concerns about his security. In this situation, his trial in Adiala Jail in the cipher case is for his protection.
The IHC chief noted that the government’s decision to hold trial in jail was not based on any malice.
IHC’s Chief Justice also said that the court would issue a detailed order to mention reasons for Khan’s trial in jail.
Earlier, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) announced that it is announcing its reserved decision on the petitions challenging the jail trial of former Prime Minister Imran Khan in the cipher case on Monday.
The IHC’s registrar’s office issued a cause list, stating that the decision, which Justice Aamer Farooq had reserved several weeks earlier, will be announced on Monday.
Imran Khan’s legal team challenged the notification authorizing the trial of the cipher case in Adiala Jail instead of an open court.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) argued that holding the trial in open court could harm Pakistan’s diplomatic relations. The FIA declared that the cipher is a confidential document and that they should not disclose it to the public.
The FIA invoked sections 5 and 9 of the Official Secrets Act in the challan, which could result in a death sentence or a prison term of two to 14 years if proven. According to the challan, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman violated the Official Secrets Act by possessing the cipher. Although a copy of the cipher had reached Imran Khan, he did not return the copy.
Throughout the proceedings in the cipher case, all hearings have taken place within the jail, with only Imran’s legal representatives allowed to be present.
The court did not permit members of the media, as well as Khan’s family and party officials to attend the trials.
The authorities initially arrested Imran Khan in the Toshakhana case on August 5, they later arrested him from inside the jail in the cipher case and he has not appeared in any court hearings since then.
