The Islamabad High Court (IHC) declared the trial of former Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan in the cipher case as illegal. Consequently, the court has directed that the trial will now take place at Islamabad’s Judicial Complex.
The trial proceedings involving Imran Khan and other PTI members will be shifted to the Abual Hasnat Muhammad Zulqurnain. This decision follows a notification from the law ministry, asserting that the Law and Justice Division had no objections to Imran Khan’s trial being conducted at Attock jail. Imran Khan had been transferred to Adiala jail in September.
Earlier, the court had upheld the legality of the judge’s appointment under the Official Secrets Act. The judge in question, Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain, has been overseeing the case involving Imran Khan, who is currently detained in Adiala jail and facing indictment in the cipher case.
The high court’s recent order halts the jail trial of the former prime minister, who faces charges related to the Official Secrets Act. Imran Khan and several of his party leaders are entangled in this cipher case, which alleges Imran Khan’s involvement in the disclosure of classified cipher information. Notably, the PTI chief has vehemently suggested a conspiracy orchestrated by the United States to destabilize his leadership through fiery speeches.
