ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) will hear today (Tuesday) the intra-court appeal filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan against his jail trial in the cipher case a day after federal cabinet approved law ministry’s summary on jail trial of PTI Chairman Imran Khan and Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi.
The caretaker federal cabinet Monday approved the jail trial of PTI Chairman Imran Khan and Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the cipher case. The cabinet gave its assent to a summary forwarded by the Ministry of Law regarding former prime minister and foreign minister’s trial in the Adiala jail in Rawalpindi due to security concerns.
The summary stated that the ministry had issued a no-objection certificate (NOC) for the jail trial on August 29 which was requested by the Interior Ministry and concerned Judge Abu-al-Hasnat Zulqarnain. The jail trial was sought for the PTI chief keeping in view the security concerns, said the summary.
The court had sought arguments from the attorney general for today’s hearing in the intra-court appeal filed by Khan against the jail trial.
The single bench, led by IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq, had found no apparent malice behind conducting Imran Khan’s jail trial in the cipher case and directed him to approach the trial court if reservations persist.
Later, Khan filed an intra-court appeal against the single bench’s decision.
In August 2023, Khan and Qureshi were booked under the Official Secrets Act 1923 in the cipher case after the Federal Investigation Agency invoked Section 5 of the said law.
Both PTI leaders have been indicted by the special court and are currently incarcerated in Adiala jail Rawalpindi in the cipher case.
