Cipher case: IHC announces verdict on Imran’s plea against jail trial today
At last hearing, AAG Munawar Iqbal Duggal had told court that cipher’s hearing in Attock jail was one-time permission
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) will announce its reserved ruling on incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s plea against his trial in connection with the cipher case inside the jail premises.
According to the cause list issued by the IHC registrar’s office, Chief Justice Aamer Farooq will announce the reserved verdict on Khan’s petition challenging the Law Ministry’s notification to hold his trial in jail in the diplomatic cable case. The IHC had reserved the verdict on September 12.
At the last hearing, Additional Attorney General Munawar Iqbal Duggal had told the court that the cipher’s hearing in Attock jail was one-time permission.
“The hearing on the case was held in [Attock] jail on August 30,” he had said, adding the ministry had also issued a no-objection certificate (NOC) on holding of trial in the prison.
At this, the IHC chief justice remarked that the jail trial was not unusual.
The prosecutor said the notification on moving the court to Attock jail was issued as per the law.
The court asked what would happen if the notification was issued again. “It has to be decided under what authority the notification can be issued,” the IHC judge observed.
PTI lawyer Sher Afzal Marwat had argued that the notification was based on ill intent. “The application has not become ineffective, the court has to decide notification’s validity,” he added.
