The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has decided to hear Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s bail request in the cypher case in open court on October 9.
Cipher case heard in open court: After the decision, Naeem Haider Panjutha, Imran’s attorney, stated that the IHC had announced that they would discuss any information deemed confidential by attorneys in-camera (i.e., secretly).
After hearing arguments from both parties on Monday, the IHC had reserved a decision.
Due to “privileged” and “sensitive” documents and information, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) asked the court for an in-camera hearing.
IHC had requested FIA to move a request last month if it intended to keep the public out of the hearing.
The top court granted the prosecution’s request for closed-door sessions in a two-page written judgement.
“Earlier this week, PTI rejected the Law and Justice Ministry’s decision to conduct Imran’s trial in Adiala Jail in the cypher case, emphasizing that the party leader’s case should be hear in an open court.”
The notification, according to PTI spokesman Raoof Hasan, was an outright breach of the right to a fair trial and was not acceptable.
He urged the Law Ministry to immediately revoke its notification and insisted on publicly hearing the case against the PTI chairman and the party’s vice chairman, Shah Mahmood Qureshi.
Hearing is adjourne by special court
The hearing for the cypher case was postpone until October 9 earlier today.
Imran and Qureshi appeared before today’s hearing at Adiala Jail under the supervision of Special Court Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain.
The PTI’s legal team objected to the hearing taking place in Adiala Jail and requested a postponement until the Islamabad High Court (IHC) made a decision regarding a motion challenging their client’s closed-door trial.