ISLAMABAD: The special court on Friday adjourned the hearing of the cipher case against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and PTI’s vice chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi till October 31.
Special Court Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain, while hearing the case at Adiala jail, did not record statements of prosecution witnesses and adjourned the hearing of the case till October 31.
The prosecutor, Shah Khawar, appeared before the court along with prosecution witnesses including Nadir Khan, Imran Sajid, Muhammad Numan, Shamghun Qasir, and Farukh Abbas.
The PTI chief’s legal team headed by Barrister Sulman Safdar appeared before the court.
During the hearing, PTI chief’s lawyer requested the court to not record statements of witnesses as the Islamabad High Court (IHC) has given some observations in its verdict.
The court has yet to announce its verdict on a petition seeking to grant bail and to dispose of the cipher case. He requested the court to delay the recording of the statement of witnesses till the announcement of the IHC judgment.
Shah Khawar while objecting to the defence counsel's request urged the court to record statements of witnesses.
The court approved the defence counsel's request and adjourned the hearing of the case till October 31.
The total number of witnesses in this case is 28 and today, the prosecution produced five witnesses for recording their statements, he said, adding that former Prime Minister Khan's principal secretary Azam Khan is not an approver and he is a routine prosecution witness.
The prosecutor while talking to reporters said that the court adjourned the hearing of the case following defence counsel's request.
However, he said that the judge said that the court would record statements of witnesses, in case the IHC did not issue any restraining orders.
The court during the hearing rejected two petitions from the PTI chief seeking to halt the trial of the case and three petitions from Shah seeking to allow the presence of his family members during the trial of the case.
The PTI chief’s counsel while talking to reporters outside Adiala jail said that the statements of witnesses cannot be recorded until the proceeding regarding the indictment of the accused is corrected.
The IHC disposed of the petition regarding the proceedings of the case with some observations, he said, adding that the trial court should wait till the IHC its written orders.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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