ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Thursday sought replies from the law ministry and other respondents on the plea by Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan against the decision to move the cipher case hearing from Islamabad to Attock Jail.
The special court was recently established under the Official Secrets Act to hear the case against Imran.
It comes a day after the PTI head had filed a petition in the IHC on the matter — hours after the initial cipher case hearing in the office of the deputy superintendent of the Attock district jail, where he is currently incarcerated after his conviction in the Toshakhana case.
The cipher case pertains to a diplomatic correspondence which allegedly went missing from Imran’s possession. The PTI alleges that it contained a threat from the US to oust Imran from power. Proceedings against the PTI vice chairman and former foreign minister, Shah Mahmood Qureshi are also under way in the same case.
The PTI chairman had also contested the appointment of an anti-terrorism court (ATC) judge, Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain to the special court, which was established to hear cases registered under the Official Secrets Act, 1923.
At the outset of the hearing, PTI lawyer Marwat informed the court that the court designated to hear cases filed under the Secrets Act was that of a magistrate. He said authorising an anti-terrorism court judge to hear cases filed under the Official Secrets Act was wrong.
