The court has passed the order on the basis of a letter moved by Adiala Jail superintendent while the counsel for the PTI chairman opposed the arguments of the Adiala jail superintendent, raising doubts about authenticity of the security threats.
ISLAMABAD: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-Nov 28th, 2023) A special court on Tuesday decided to hold trial of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and former Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the cipher case inside the jail.
Special Court Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain passed the orders on basis of a letter submitted by Adiala Jail Superintendent.
The court, however, allowed participation of the general public, media, and family members in the hearing, due on December 1.
Earlier in the day, Adiala Jail authorities declined to bring Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi to the court, citing serious security threats.
The judicial proceedings resumed at the Judicial Complex after the Islamabad High Court nullified the jail trial. The Adiala Jail superintendent's written reply, highlighting security threats and the absence of requested additional security from Islamabad police, was presented in court by Federal Investigation Agency prosecutor Khawar Shah.
PTI's lawyer Salman Safdar, referring to the previous hearing's order, insisted on Imran Khan's appearance in court. Safdar raised doubts about the authenticity of the security threats, emphasizing the lack of information from any security agency and labeling arguments about security as unfounded.
Expressing concern over the violation of court orders, Safdar called on the Adiala Jail superintendent to resign if unable to present the former PM. After hearing arguments from both sides, the judge reserved the verdict.
The cipher case alleges that former PM Khan unlawfully retained and disclosed the contents of a classified diplomatic cable from Pakistan's ambassador in Washington. The controversy came to light when Khan revealed the letter during a public rally in Islamabad, just days before his government faced a no-confidence vote.
