“Security concerns” cause the trial for Imran’s cypher case to be moved back to Adiala jail
The hearings will continue at Adiala jail in an open court setting, according to a statement made on Tuesday by the special court judge overseeing the trial of former premier Imran Khan in the cypher case.
The court’s order for the Adiala jail authorities to present the former premier before the Federal Judicial Complex (FJC) in Islamabad was not followed because of “serious security risks.”
The Cipher case trial between Imran and his foreign minister at the time, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, was previously ordered by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to take place before the FJC. The PTI chairman’s trial, which was held in jail up until this point, was deemed void by the IHC.
The case known as “Cypher” concerns a document that Imran, who was prime minister at the time, waved during a public gathering in March of last year, claiming it was proof of a foreign plot to overthrow him. A few weeks later, the motion was approved, ending Imran’s administration.
Judge Zulqarnain received the jail authorities’ report during today’s session, and he carefully went over its contents. According to the report, the PTI chairman was the target of life threats from intelligence services and law enforcement, underscoring the seriousness of the security threats.
The special court announced its ruling after a brief discussion, approving the trial’s continuance within Adiala jail as long as it was held in public. Due to concerns raised by the jail administration and security services over the FJC, the court announced that the next hearing, which was set for Friday, December 1, will take place at Adiala Jail as an open court session.
In anticipation of any security issues, a conference with the police, the administration, and pertinent departments was called to order on Monday in order to create a thorough security strategy for Imran’s visit.
The special court further declared that observers, including media, would be allowed to watch the proceedings. It further permitted the presence of five relatives of each accused person within the courtroom.
Four witnesses had testified in the trial, which was first held at Adiala Jail. The fifth witness was being cross-examined. But now that the IHC ruling has been made, the special court is ready to begin a new trial, therefore the prosecution will need to file a new request to resume the trial on the jail grounds.
Barrister Salman Safdar represented Imran in the most recent sessions at the FJC, while Advocate Ali Bukhari defended Qureshi. Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) prosecutors Shah Khawar and Zulfikar Abbas Naqvi also made an appearance in court
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