Cypher case: PTI chairman’s hearing to be held in Attock Jail

ISLAMABAD: The hearing of the missing cypher case against Pakistan-e-Tehreek (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has started  in Attock Jail.

The former prime minister will not be taken to the special court for the extension of judicial remand in the case. Instead, the hearing will be conducted within the jail premises.

Special Court Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain, who is hearing the cypher case, will conduct the hearing inside the Attock Jail.

The Law Ministry has given permission to conduct the hearing of the cipher case in Attock Jail. The ministry has issued a notification to set up a special court for the cipher case in jail tomorrow.

The PTI chief has been arrested in the cypher case. The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) will present him in court and seek extension in judicial remark regarding it problem in the case of the missing document.

A special court recently established to hear cases under the Official Secrets Act has directed the Attock Jail authorities to keep Imran in “judicial lockup” and produce him on August 30 in connection with the cipher case.

In a letter addressed to the Attock jail superintendent, Special Court Judge Abual Hasnat Muhammad Zulqarnain ordered to produce Imran Khan for judicial remand in the case.

The case pertains to a diplomatic document that reportedly went missing from Imran’s possession. The PTI alleges that the cypher contained a threat from the United States to oust Imran from power.

Proceedings against PTI Vice Chairman and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi are also underway in the same case.

Earlier, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) suspended PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s conviction in the Toshakhana case. However, he could not be released as he was on judicial remand in cypher case and has now been arrested.

A two-member bench comprising IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri announced the reserved verdict on the PTI chief’s plea against his sentence in the Toshakhana criminal case.

The court ordered to release the former prime minister on bail. He has been ordered to submit surety bonds of Rs100,000 to secure bail.

Ahead of the verdict, the PTI chairman filed a petition to prevent arrest in any case. His lawyer Salman Safdar filed the petition and urged the court to restrain the FIA, NAB and police from arresting him.

On August 5, a district and sessions court sentenced Imran Khan to three years in prison after finding him guilty in the Toshakhana case. The court also imposed a fine of Rs100,000 and subsequently disqualified him from office for five years.