The federal government has challenged the Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) decision to invalidate the jail trial of former prime minister Imran Khan in the cipher case.
The government has also requested that the apex court annul the decision of the high court.
The government’s petition argues that the Islamabad High Court did not properly assess the facts. The high court does not have the power to remove the status of a special court.
The petition filed through Raja Rizwan Abbasi mentions Imran Khan and Judge Abul Hasanat Zulqernain as the parties, as well as the FIA director general, the Islamabad deputy commissioner, police chief and chief commissioner.
The Supreme Court has been requested to annul the November 21, 2023 decision of the Islamabad High Court.
The Islamabad High Court had on November 21, 2023 declared former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan's jail trial in the cipher case null and void.
A division bench of the IHC, comprising Justice Miangul Hasan Aurangzeb and Justice Saman Riffat, had pronounced the reserved verdict on an intra-court appeal filed by Khan.
In the verdict, the court stated that in exceptional circumstances, the trial can be done in jail, adding that according to the law, the trial can be conducted in a jail or open court.
It also added that the notification of August 29 for a jail trial in the cipher case was declared null and void.
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