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Cipher case: IHC rejects Imran Khan’s intra-court appeal against jail trial

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  • Govt not authorised to issue jail trial notification: PTI counsel.
  • IHC chief justice might form new bench on matter: IHC judge.
  • Khan had challenged IHC single bench before division bench.

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday rejected Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s intra-court appeal against his jail trial in the cipher case.

A two-member IHC division bench comprising Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb and Justice Saman Rafat presided over the hearing.

PTI chief’s counsel Salman Akram Raja contended before the bench that the federal government did not have the authority to issue a notification for holding Khan’s trial in prison.

He said it was the domain of the Islamabad commissioner to issue jail trial notification which he said was an administrative matter.

Counsel Raja said a single bench of the IHC had declared that the federal government had the prerogative to appoint a judge of its choice.

“They are judicial officers. The federal government does not have any authority to ‘pick and choose’ [judges],” he added.

Responding to this, Justice Aurangzeb said: “In this way, the executive will interfere in the judiciary’s domain.”

The division bench said the IHC chief justice might form a new bench on the matter after a file referred to him after removing objections.

“[But] right now we cannot give you any interim relief,” Justice Aurangzeb said adding that whether the petition is admissible or not will be decided later.

Earlier this month, an IHC single bench found no apparent malice behind conducting Khan’s jail trial in the cipher case, the court’s verdict read and directed him to approach the trial court if reservations persist.

The court’s decision, announced by IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq, came in the wake of hearing Khan’s plea challenging his jail trial in the cipher case for days with the judge finally wrapping it up today.

The former premier, whose government was ousted following a no-confidence motion in April last year, wanted his trial in the aforementioned case to be conducted in an open court.

“The jail trial is in favour of the PTI chairman in view of his security,” the court said, adding that Khan himself has repeatedly expressed his fears about his safety.

In view of the security concerns, the authorities decided to hold the PTI chief’s trial in prison after he was arrested in August this year under the Official Secrets Act.

A day earlier, Khan along with PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi was indicted in the case involving charges of misusing diplomatic cable for vested and political purposes.

Both the leaders have been imprisoned in Adiala Jail of Rawalpindi.

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The PPP and PML-N will confer on power-sharing arrangements in Punjab today.

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The coordination committees of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) are scheduled to convene today at the Governor’s House in Lahore to deliberate on power-sharing arrangements in Punjab.

The PPP delegation would comprise Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider, Raja Pervez Ashraf, Makhdoom Syed Ahmed Mahmood, Nadeem Afzal Chan, Hassan Murtaza, and Ali Haider Gilani.

Ishaq Dar, Azam Nazir Tarar, Rana Sanaullah, Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan, and Maryam Aurangzeb will represent the PML-N.

The conference will discuss local issues in Punjab and offer a forum for the PPP to express its concerns over its collaboration with PML-N in the province.

Both parties seek to fortify their partnership and optimize governance techniques in Punjab.

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Sheikh Rasheed says PTI and government negotiations won’t provide any results.

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Sheikh Rasheed voiced his worries about the nation’s ongoing political dilemma while speaking outside the Anti-Terrorism Court.

According to Sheikh Rasheed, a committee was established to negotiate, but the process has not produced any tangible results. In order to emphasize the seriousness of the situation, he said, “Political conditions are extremely bad.”

He made the joke, “Even after war, if negotiations fail, then it will all come down to judo karate,” in reference to the next steps.

“Everyone there prays for Pakistan’s betterment,” Sheikh Rasheed, who had returned from Saudi Arabia, said. He emphasized the necessity for the nation’s circumstances to improve and stabilize.

Assad Qaiser, a former speaker and PTI leader, had earlier called on Speaker Ayaz Sadiq of the National Assembly to discuss the official start of talks with the government.

The two leaders shared their opinions on bringing parties together on matters of national importance and reducing political tensions and conflict.

“I will persuade my people, you persuade the hardliners in your party,” Ayaz Sadiq said to Assad Qaiser.

The party’s founder is in jail, and the PTI leadership has asked to meet with him. “We will continue to confer with him,” Assad Qaiser declared.

Earlier, PTI leader Shaukat Yousafzai stated that if the discussions don’t begin, a campaign of civil disobedience will begin on December 14.

Speaking to the media Regarding the meetings, Yousafzai claimed that the government ministers were making insincere remarks.

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Bushra Bibi maintains bail as the IHC concludes the FIA’s petition.

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The Islamabad High Court (IHC) conducted a hearing about the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) plea for the revocation of Bushra Bibi’s bail.

The court, led by Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb, rejected the FIA’s petition during the hearing.

Judicial Proceedings

Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb sought information regarding Bushra Bibi’s location, to which her attorney, Barrister Salman Safdar, affirmed her attendance in court.

The judge urged the counsel to regard the matters with gravity, underscoring the necessity of adherence to trial protocols.

The court sought details about instances where Bushra Bibi had been exempted from attending trial hearings and clarified that if the High Court grants bail and the accused fails to appear, the trial court holds the authority to cancel the bail.

Justice Aurangzeb assured that such actions would not amount to contempt of the High Court’s order.

Based on these considerations, the court closed the proceedings and dismissed the FIA’s plea.

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