ISLAMABAD:
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has been ordered to file a challan against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan at the next hearing on September 26 after a special court extended Khan’s judicial detention in the cipher case on Wednesday.
The cypher case against Imran, as well as bail applications for PTI Senior Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi and former PTI general secretary Asad Umar, were all heard by Special Court Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain.
The PTI head appeared in court when he was being held at the Attock District Jjail. After Qureshi’s judicial remand ended, he was brought before a judge at the Federal Judicial Complex.
Both defendants’ judicial remands were prolonged by the judge.
The judge had instructed the investigating officer to file the challan, as stated in the court order. The investigating officer, however, requested additional time. The court agreed to postpone the hearing until September 26th.
According to the written order, the judge questioned the PTI chairman regarding the conduct of the prison staff. Imran stated his contentment.
The decision states that Imran informed the court that he was not afraid while incarcerated and had no issues with the prison’s facilities.
During the same session, the PTI chairman asked the judge for more time to talk to his wife.
The judge ruled that Imran should be upgraded to prison standard conditions.
Judge Abul Zulqarnain had previously arrived at the Attock prison to preside over the trial. Nine solicitors representing Imran were also present during the hearing. However, Qureshi was brought before the FJC’s special court while he was still in handcuffs.
Qureshi later called himself a “political prisoner” when he spoke to the media. He claimed he was incapable of conceiving of treason against his country. The ex-foreign minister urged Pakistanis to put national interests ahead of individual ones.
Last month, Imran was transferred to Attock Prison to begin serving a three-year sentence for his involvement in the Toshakhan case. The PTI president was detained in the cypher case despite the fact that the Islamabad High Court (IHC) has suspended the incarceration.
On Wednesday, the PTI asked the IHC to reconsider its case challenging the ECP’s disqualification of its chairman, but the IHC has yet to rule.
The PTI chairman’s legal team has stated that they have filed an appeal with the Lahore High Court (LHC) about this problem.
Chief Justice Aamer Farooq asked for oral arguments on the PTI’s plea to begin the hearing. Barrister Ali Zafar, Imran’s legal counsel, informed the court that his client wished to drop the petition and would not be arguing on its merits.
According to Zafar, the PTI has filed an appeal with the LHC against the ECP’s notice to remove Imran as party chairman. This meant they could take the matter in any direction they preferred.
He continued by saying that since the LHC had expanded to a bench of five judges, the appeal to the IHC was being withdrawn.
The ECP’s director general of law argued against the PTI’s motion, citing the fact that the ECP office and its lawyers were already present in Islamabad for the duration of the Toshakhana case’s proceedings.
The court ordered the ECP to file written arguments, but put off making a decision on the miscellaneous application to dismiss the PTI’s appeal.
