Pak: Islamabad High Court issues notice to FIA on Imran Khan's plea challenging in-camera trial in cipher case

Islamabad [Pakistan], December 21 : The Islamabad High Court (IHC) issued a notice to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Thursday on a petition filed by former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan challenging the in-camera proceedings of the cipher trial at Adiala Jail, as reported by Dawn.
Justice Miangul Hasan Aurangzeb began hearing the petition, with Imran Khan's lawyer, Barrister Salman Akram Raja, appearing in court. Additional Attorney General Munawar Iqbal Duggal was also present.
During the hearing, Salman Akram Raja said that the prosecution had levelled a single allegation and did not give any explanation to back their demand. He said that the special court rejected bail for Pakistan's former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi in the cipher case and ordered that the trial be completed in four weeks, according to Dawn report.
Justice Aurangzeb asked whether the stipulated four weeks were indeed given for trial completion and sought clarification from the additional attorney general.
The judge said, "We do not give a period of four weeks even in simple cases." Imran Khan's lawyer Salman Akram Raja said that IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq in his verdict stated that the trial must be finalised within four weeks.
He said, "The trial court is conducting daily proceedings in the case." Justice Aurangzeb asked, "Is the judge suggesting that the indictment, if it has occurred, should not be disclosed to the public?," Dawn reported.
Responding to the question, Raja said, "The trial court judge has ordered that no information regarding the case be disclosed or discussed." He further said that the judge had particularly ordered that relatives of the suspect should not discuss about the proceedings anywhere.
He said that the trial court in its verdict referred to this as a "direction case." The judge then asked about the meaning of a "direction case" and summoned the attorney general on Friday.
During the hearing, Imran Khan's lawyer requested the court to grant a stay in the case. The judge did not accept the plea and issued a notice to the FIA to submit its response on the matter. The court then adjourned the hearing till Friday.
In his plea filed on Wednesday, Imran Khan challenged his trial in jail and subsequent developments, including the framing of charges and a gag order on the media.
Last week, the Special Court (Official Secrets Act) started the cipher trial at the Adiala district jail after Imran Khan and Shah Mehmood Qureshi were indicted for a second time in the case on December 13.
The cipher case is related to a diplomatic document that the Federal Investigation Agency's charge sheet alleges was never returned by Imran Khan. The PTI has said that the document included a threat from the US to oust Imran Khan as Pakistan PM, according to Dawn report.
Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who is also behind bars, were first indicted in the case on October 23. Both the leaders had pleaded not guilty, Dawn reported.
The trial was being held at Adiala Jail and four witnesses had recorded their statements when the Islamabad High Court called the government's notification for a jail trial "erroneous" and scrapped the entire proceedings. The court backed Imran Khan's indictment and instructed the special court judge to ensure a "fair trial".