The Islamabad High Court (IHC) issued a directive on Wednesday for a transparent trial to be concluded within four weeks in the diplomat cypher case involving former prime minister Imran Khan, former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, and others.
In a written order, Chief Justice Aamer Farooq instructed the superintendent of Adiala Jail to ensure the dignity of the accused is upheld during this period. The court firmly rejected Qureshi’s plea to halt the indictment proceedings against him.
The ruling clarified that the trial within the jail premises does not imply an in-camera trial but rather an open one, with a commitment to maintaining the respect and dignity of the accused.
The court directed the jail authorities and the government to ensure the maximum participation of the public while also guaranteeing the security of the accused.
The court emphasised that Imran Khan, as the leader of a major political party, is undergoing a jail trial due to security concerns, and his family has previously voiced apprehensions about security.
Read more: Imran, Qureshi meet in Adiala jail
The written judgement highlighted that conducting every hearing from the jail to the court may pose security risks for PTI Chairman Imran Khan. However, the proceedings cannot be deemed null and void solely on the basis of being held in a different location unless a failure in the provision of justice is evident.
Earlier in the day, the IHC had rejected a bail application in the cypher case by Qureshi. Justice Aamer Farooq, who presided over the bail plea, had previously reserved the verdict.
On Tuesday, the IHC had suspended the in-prison trial of Imran and Qureshi in the case by a special court established under the Official Secrets Act (OSA).
A two-member bench, consisting of Justice Miangul Hasan Aurangzeb and Justice Suman Rifat Imtiaz, also summoned the complete record of the jail trial within two days. The court stated that allowing only a few family members to attend the hearing did not classify it as an open court hearing.
