The Ministry of Law issued a notification on Tuesday to hold Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s trial in the cipher case in Adiala jail.
The notification was made after special court judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain requested in a letter to the Ministry of Law that the cipher case be heard in the Rawalpindi prison due to security concerns.
The law ministry stated in the notification that it had no objections to holding the PTI chief’s trial in Adiala jail.
On October 4, the PTI Chairman Khan and Vice-Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi were called in the cipher case by a special court formed under the Official Secrets Act.
Judge Zulqarnain has asked that the PTI leaders be presented before the court on October 4 (tomorrow).
According to sources, the special court judge asked the law ministry in a letter today if the PTI chief’s trial should be held in court or at Rawalpindi’s prison due to security concerns.
According to the sources, the judge stated that the special court intended to hold the trial at the Adiala jail and requested that the law ministry issue sufficient notification for the case hearing set for tomorrow.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) filed the challan (charge sheet) in the cipher case against the PTI leaders last week.
The FIA noted in its challan that the former prime minister and foreign minister had been found guilty in the affair and asked the court to conduct their trial and punish them in the case.
According to sources, the name of former PTI secretary-general Asad Umar has not been added to the list of offenders. Meanwhile, Azam Khan, Imran Khan’s former main secretary, has been listed as a “strong witness” in the case.
Qureshi biometric
Meanwhile, the special court granted Qureshi’s application for authorization to conduct biometric verification in order to register a joint bank account.
Qureshi’s lawyer, Ali Bukhari, has asked the court to allow bank personnel to visit Adiala jail for biometric verification of his client.
He told the judge that his client wished to open a joint bank account with his wife to handle day-to-day business.
