Cipher case: Law ministry issues notification to hold Imran’s trial in Adiala jail

• Judge had sought law ministry's view on holding trial in court.
• Judge had asked ministry to issue appropriate notification for Oct 4 hearing.
• Special court allows biometric verification of Qureshi in prison.

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Law on Tuesday issued a notification to hold Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s trial in Adiala jail in the cipher case.

The notification was issued after special court judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain wrote a letter to the Ministry of Law, asking it to issue a notification to hold the hearing of the cipher case in the Rawalpindi prison due to security concerns.

In the notification, the law ministry said it did not have an objection to holding the PTI chief’s trial in Adiala jail.

A day earlier, the special court established under the Official Secrets Act summoned jailed PTI Chairman Khan and Vice-Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi on October 4 in the cipher case.

Judge Zulqarnain had directed the superintendent of Adiala jail to present the PTI leaders before the court on October 4 (tomorrow).

In a letter today, sources told Geo News that the special court judge sought the law ministry’s opinion on holding the PTI chief's trial in court or at Rawalpindi’s prison in view of security concerns.

The judge said the special court intended to hold trial in the Adiala jail and asked the law ministry to issue appropriate notification for the hearing of the case scheduled to be held tomorrow, the sources added.

Last week, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) submitted the challan (charge sheet) in the cipher case against the PTI leaders.

The FIA, in its challan, had stated that the former prime minister and the former foreign minister were found guilty in the matter and requested the court to conduct their trial and sentence them in the case.

According to sources, former PTI secretary-general Asad Umar's name was not added to the list of accused. Meanwhile, Imran Khan's former principal secretary Azam Khan was named as a "strong witness" in the case.

Qureshi biometric

Meanwhile, the special court approved Qureshi’s application seeking permission for biometric verification for opening joint bank account.

Qureshi’s counsel Ali Bukhari had sought the court’s permission for bank staff to visit Adiala jail for biometric verification of his client.

He told the court that his client wanted to open a joint bank account with his wife to run daily affairs.