IHC declines to halt Imran Khan’s jail trial in cipher case

Rejecting the petition filed by former prime minister and ex-PTI chairman Imran Khan, seeking an immediate halt to hearing of the US cipher case, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday issued a notice to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

It was claimed in the petition that legal requirements for holding a trial of the ex-PTI chairman in the case inside Adiala Jail had not been met.

Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb of the IHC, who heard the petition, said he would like to first read the report before deciding on the petition.

The court also issued a notice on the former prime minister’s plea, seeking a stay in the case.

The judge asked Imran’s lawyer to present a copy of the notification the government had issued for the jail trial.

The latter replied he did not have a copy of the notification with him.

Expressing his surprise, the judge asked him why he did not have a copy with him.

The lawyer replied that it was the government’s, and not the court’s, job to choose the place for holding the trial.

But Justice Aurangzeb disagreed with his statement, and said categorically that it was the judge’s prerogative.

He further said that a judge could order that the trial should be held in jail. “But that should be an open court,” he clarified.

Later, the court adjourned the case’s hearing until December 20.

Reporter: Rozeena Ali