Special court adjourns cipher case hearing without proceeding
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The special court established under the Official Secrets Act adjourned the cipher case hearing in the Adiala jail without any proceeding on Saturday, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
During today’s hearing, only the presence of former premier and PTI Chairman Imran Khan and former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi was marked.
The media persons and public were not allowed to enter the courtroom.
However, the PTI chairman’s wife Bushra Bibi and his sisters and family members of Shah Mehmood Qureshi were present in the courtroom.
On the previous hearing, the judge of the special court ordered the hearing of the cipher case in an open court and asked media representatives to allow coverage. However, the special court established under the Official Secrets Act decided to hold the hearing of the cipher case at Adiala Jail given the security concerns. The interim federal cabinet also issued a formal notification in this regard.
During today’s hearing, Shah Mehmood Qureshi asked the judge to tell him under which Official Secrets Act 1923 or 2023 they are being tried.
Qureshi requested the court that the President of Pakistan should be summoned to the court and the President should tell the court under oath whether he has approved the new act or not.
However, the court rejected Qureshi’s plea for summoning the President.
The former foreign minister pleaded with the court if not Imran Khan’s case, at least his case should be heard outside the jail, in open court.
The court told Qureshi that his and the ex-PTI chairman’s trial could not be separated as this case is interlinked.
It also told Qureshi that his objection is over now as the public and journalists are present in the court today, adding that his trial would be held under Sections 5 and 9 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923.
After this, Special Court Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain adjourned the hearing till December 4.
The cipher trial proceedings could not be held yesterday as the Special Court received the jail trial notification of the Law Ministry later in the day.
The Ministry of Law and Justice on Friday issued a notification allowing the trial of former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan in Adiala jail in the cipher case.
The Islamabad High Court in its order on Nov 21 declared the jail trial proceedings in cipher case null and void.
Reporter Irshad Qureshi