The Islamabad High Court has issued a notice to the Attorney General and the FIA on the request of the founder chairman PTI against the in-camera trial in the cipher case. The court did not accept the request to immediately stop the trial of the cipher case.
Justice Mian Gul Hasan Aurangzeb remarked that he wants to hear the Attorney General on this matter. The court expressed surprise at the deadline of four weeks given by the Chief Justice of Islamabad High Court to complete the cipher case trial and said that we do not give four weeks time even in ordinary cases.
Islamabad High Court Justice Mian Gul Hasan Aurangzeb heard the plea against declaring the trial of the cipher case in camera.
Petitioner’s lawyer Salman Akram Raja said that on the request of the prosecution, the court decided to conduct the trial in camera and wrote in the judgment that the coverage of the cipher case will also be banned because the reporting of the court proceedings may affect relations with friendly countries. Media and social media have also been banned from publishing the proceedings of the cipher case. The family members of the accused are allowed to sit in the trial but they are also bound not to talk about the court proceedings.
The court inquired if the indictment has been filed, then they cannot even tell that the indictment has been filed? The lawyer said absolutely not, he has been bound that he cannot tell the court proceedings.
Salman Akram Raja said that it has been said by the prosecution that Imran Khan’s actions affected the cipher security. Officials say that the cipher codes are changed every few months.
Justice Mian Gul Hasan Aurangzeb inquired whether the court had issued a notice on the request for in camera proceedings. When was the indictment imposed on the accused?
The court said that there is a problem in this case, the trial is being conducted by a lawyer and appeals by another lawyer. On which Salman Akram Raja said that Mr. Panjutha is here and he is doing the trial. On December 13, a notice was served on the in-camera application for December 14. Being a direction case, the trial court is hearing on a daily basis.
The court asked how is this direction case?
Salman Akram Raja said that while rejecting the bail of Shah Mehmood Qureshi, the single bench gave the direction to complete the trial in four weeks, on which the judge expressed his surprise and said, “Is it really true that the time of four weeks has been given?” We do not give four weeks time even in normal cases. Salman Akram Raja requested to issue an injunction on the trial of the cipher case
The court said that while issuing notices to the Attorney General, listen to them first. The hearing was later adjourned till tomorrow.
