The Islamabad High Court has accepted an appeal of former prime minister Imran Khan against the in-camera trial of the cipher case against him, and annulled the proceedings of the case from December 14 onwards. The Islamabad High Court has also suspended the stay order in the cipher case in a verdict issued by Justice Miangul Hasan Aurangzeb. The Islamabad High Court had stayed the trial of the cipher case in the trial court on December 28. During Thursday’s proceedings, the judge asked Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan if he wanted the proceedings to be reversed to backdate, adding that if that has to be done, it should happen from the date the order was passed. Justice Aurangzeb said that a formal order will also be issued in this regard.

The AGP assured the court that the prosecution would conduct the in-camera proceedings afresh. He added that they were ready to record the statements of 13 witnesses all over again. Thus, on the assurance of AGP Awan, the court withdrew the stay order against the cipher trial. On Dec 28, the IHC had issued a stay order on the ongoing cipher case trial against former prime minister Imran Khan till January 11. The high court heard a plea against the indictment of Imran Khan and PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the cipher case. The PTI had challenged the trial court's order of December 12 to indict Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood in the case.

Justice Miangul Hasan Aurangzeb issued the order for today's hearing. The court granted the request for an immediate stay order on the cipher trial and has stopped the proceedings of the case till January 11. The court issued a notice to the federal government in this regard and ordered that all necessary documents should be submitted at the next hearing.

 
Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)