IHC withdraws stay order on cipher case trial

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday withdrew its stay order, halting the in-camera cipher case trial against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder, ARY News reported.

Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb heard the petition against the in-camera trial in cipher case.

On December 28, the court issued a stay order to halt cipher case trial against the former prime minister till January 11 (today).

Counsel of PTI founder, Salman Akram Raja in his arguments before the court said the government admitted that the order of December 14 was ‘wrong’.

He pleaded with the court to pass orders to nullify the proceedings of cipher case after December 14.

Meanwhile, Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) Anwar Mansoor Khan assured the IHC of the resumption of the in-camera trial of the PTI founder in the cipher case from the beginning.

Later, the high court revoked its stay order.

Cipher case

The first information report (FIR) was registered on August 15 under the Official Secrets Act. It was registered on the complaint of the Home Secretary.

Former prime minister Imran Khan and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi were nominated in the report, while names of former principal secretary Azam Khan and former planning minister Asad Umar were also mentioned.

According to the report, action also will be taken against Azam Khan and Asad Umar after the authorities reached the conclusion that they were also involved in misusing the classified documents.

The FIR stated that the former prime minister and foreign minister distorted the facts of the diplomatic cipher. “A conspiracy was launched to misuse the contents of the cipher to fulfill nefarious purposes”, it added. It further stated that former premier and top diplomat endangered the state interests.