Cipher case: Special court rules to hold PTI chief’s trial in Adiala jail

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD :The special court established under the Official Secrets Act announced on Tuesday that the trial of PTI chief in the cipher case would be conducted in Adiala jail citing ‘security risks’.

Special court judge Abual Hasnaat Zulqarnain conducted hearing of the cipher case against the PTI chief and Shah Mahmood Qureshi at the Judicial Complex Islamabad.

PTI chief’s counsel Advocate Salman Safdar and FIA prosecutor Shah Khawar also appeared before the court. The sisters of PTI chief and daughter of Shah Mehmood Qureshi were also present in the court.

Last week, the court had ordered the jail authorities to produce the PTI chief at Islamabad’s Federal Judicial Complex for hearing of the case.

However, the officials of Adiala jail failed to produce the former prime minister before the court owing to security threats.

Advocate Salman Safdar said that it was the responsibility of jail authorities to produce the PTI chief in the court.

The under-trial terrorists are brought to the court from Adiala Jail on daily basis but the PTI chief is being denied fair trial on the pretext of ‘security threats’, he argued.

However, the special court ruled that the trial of PTI chief would be conducted in the jail in the light of the report prepared by the Superintendent Adiala Jail.

The special court also ruled that it would be open trial in the jail where media and public would also be allowed to witness the proceeding.

The case was later adjourned for Friday.

Earlier, the Islamabad High Court had declared null and void the trial of PTI chief in jail.