The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday nullified the August 29 notification to hold the trial of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former premier Imran Khan in the cipher case, Aaj News reported.
A ruling on Imran Khan’s intra-court appeal against a jail trial in the cipher case was reserved by the IHC earlier in the day.
The IHC has issued a short verdict, while the detailed one will follow.
It is pertinent to note that while the IHC suspended the PTI chief’s sentencing in the Toshakhana case on August 29, jail officials were instructed to keep Imran in “judicial lockup” in the cipher case by a special court created under the Official Secrets Act.
Imran is currently in Adiala jail after he was indicted by the special court Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain in the case.
A two-member bench, comprising Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb and Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz will announce the decision later today.
On Monday, the bench summoned the notification related to the appointment of a judge of the special court for hearing the cipher case as well as reports about security threats to the PTI chairman.
After issuing the directions, the bench deferred the proceedings until Tuesday (today). The IHC also extended its stay orders in this matter, saying that “the operation of the order staying the proceedings in the trial is extended until the next date of hearing.”
On November 14, the IHC had issued a stay order against the jail trial of the former premier. It halted the proceedings of the cipher case against the former prime minister before adjourning the court till November 16.
Imran had approached the IHC after the caretaker federal cabinet approved the jail trial of his in the case.
However, his appeal was rejected by the IHC which ruled that the jail trial was “in favour” of the former premier keeping in mind security-related matters. It observed that there is no ill will apparent on the matter of jail trial.
Cipher case background
A case was registered against Imran and PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi under Sections 5 and 9 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923. It is related to the “misuse” of alleged contents of a diplomatic cipher, cited by ex-premier Imran as proof of the attempt to remove his government.
Last month, the special court indicted Imran and Qureshi in the cipher case.