The federal cabinet has given its approval for the jail trial of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the cipher case, the local media reported on Thursday.
The decision follows the directive of Special Court Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain, who ordered the trial to be held within the confines of Adiala jail.
According to the reports, the Ministry of Law and Justice submitted a summary outlining the proposal, and the cabinet, in a move shrouded in confidentiality, granted its consent through a circulation process.
The special court, earlier in the week, made a pivotal ruling stipulating that the cipher case trial would be conducted in Adiala jail, citing security concerns highlighted in the superintendent of Adiala Jail’s report.
Judge Zulqarnain emphasized, “The cipher trial will take place in jail,” marking a departure from conventional courtroom proceedings. The subsequent hearings, as outlined in the order, are scheduled to be held within Adiala jail, with an open invitation extended to anyone interested, including members of the media.
These developments unfolded during the inaugural hearing of the cipher case outside the Adiala prisons, a departure from previous plans following the Islamabad High Court’s decision to nullify the earlier notification for a jail trial.
Notably, Judge Zulqarnain has been presiding over the trial in a jail setting, citing security considerations, since Imran Khan’s indictment on charges last month.
In a parallel development, the federal cabinet also sanctioned the jail trial of PTI Chairman Imran Khan in corruption cases, notably the £190 million settlement case. As disclosed in a report published today, the cabinet summary, initiated by the Ministry of Law and Justice, gained approval through a discreet circulation process.
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had formally sought the ministry’s approval to conduct the trial within Adiala jail, citing concerns related to the law and order situation.
Building on this, the ministry had previously issued a notification on November 28, designating the Central Prison, Adiala, as the venue for the trial. This pertains to a case involving allegations of the misuse of authority, illegal sale of gifted state assets, etc., invoking Section 16(b) of the NAB Ordinance, 1999.
