IHC to expedite ruling on Imran’s plea against jail trial

CJ Farooq asks lawyer about contradiction over Imran’s transfer to Adiala Jail

ISLAMABAD:

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday indicated that it would announce its reserved ruling within a few days on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s pleas against the trial of the cipher case inside the jail premises and the appointment of the judge conducting the trial.

While appearing before the court of Chief Justice Aamer Farooq, Imran’s lawyer Sher Afzal Marwat pointed out that the cipher case trial had commenced in the prison and the next hearing was slated for Oct 9 (Monday) but the decision on the PTI chief’s plea had not yet been announced.

Chief Justice Farooq remarked that he would expedite his decision as requested by the petitioner’s lawyer. However, the chief justice added, the decision might not come by Monday rather within two to three days.

The judge also asked Marwat about the objections reportedly raised over the shifting of Imran to Adiala Jail from the Attock District Jail. He reminded the lawyer that the transfer order was issued by the IHC on a petition filed by the PTI chairman.

Read Imran appeals for suspension of Toshakhana conviction

“It has been reported that you have raised objections at [Imran] being shifted to Adiala jail,” the judge asked. “But it was you who petitioned for the shifting to Adiala Jail from Attock jail and the request for the transfer was approved. So, why then this debate has been initiated in the press by you?”

The counsel replied that no such statement had been made before the press on behalf of the PTI chief officially. Chief Justice Farooq remarked that he was surprised after reading such reports in the media.

Marwat informed the court that the defence had expected B-Class for Imran in the Adiala Jail but no such facility had been given. The chief justice said that Barrister Latif Khosa – a senior member of Imran’s legal team – had filed a petition in this regard on Thursday.

The PTI chairman was arrested on Aug 5, after a district and sessions court convicted him in the Toshakhana case. Initially, he was lodged in the Attock jail. Later, the IHC suspended his three-year jail term, but the PTI chief remained incarcerated following his arrest in the cipher case.

The cipher case pertained to a diplomatic cable, which Imran had touted as proof of foreign conspiracy against his government during the no-confidence motion against him in March last year. Imran was removed as prime minister after the motion was carried by the National Assembly in April.

Separately, the anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Islamabad fixed Imran’s three bail applications for hearing on Oct 16. The applications pertained to two cases registered again the PTI chief at the Khana police station and the Bahara Kahu police station.

ATC Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain will hear the bail applications. Previously, the judge had dismissed the application but those were restored by the IHC, which had cancelled the lower court decision, ordering it to re-hear the pleas.