Cipher case: IHC to hold open court hearing

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Tuesday issued an order stating that the next hearing of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s bail plea in the cipher case will take place in an open court.

IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq issued a two-page written order in response to the prosecution’s request for in-camera proceedings.

In a separate hearing, the IHC declared null and void the authorities’ notification to keep PTI chairman in Attock jail.

In a written order, IHC Chief Justice Aamir Farooq approved the request to transfer Khan to Adiala jail. The court stated that the PTI chief had been sentenced to three years in the Toshakhana case.

Earlier, a special court extended the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman and party’s Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s judicial remand till October 10 in the cipher case.

Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain, who heard the case at the Attock District Jail under the Official Secrets Act 2023, extended the judicial remand of Imran Khan in the missing cipher case, a classified state document.

During the hearing, the court directed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to submit a challan in the case soon.

Hearing of the case took place at the Attock Jail following approval by the Law Ministry amid security concerns expressed by the Interior Ministry.

The PTI Chairman Imran Khan was sent to jail on August 5 following his conviction in the Toshakhana case. On August 29, the IHC had suspended his sentence.