The Islamabad High Court has granted an injunction in response to PTI founder Imran Khan’s request, halting the ongoing trial related to the cipher case.
Justice Mian Gul Hasan Aurangzeb presided over the hearing, where the court issued a notice upon receiving the founder chairman PTI’s petition against the trial court’s December 12 decision on the cipher case. During the proceedings, the court sought a response and acknowledged the request to pause the trial, emphasizing the issuance of the notice before further action.
Representing the petitioner, counsel for Imran Khan highlighted discrepancies in the trial court’s approach, citing a failure to comply with legal requirements specified in Section 13, where the law specifies the use of a “complaint” instead of an FIR for judicial action in this specific case.
Responding to the court’s query on the issue, Imran Khan’s lawyer pointed out that the proceedings were based on an FIR rather than a complaint, contrary to legal procedures. The authorized government officer should have directly filed a complaint, yet an FIR was registered instead.
In defense, Justice Mian Gul Hasan Aurangzeb indicated that the notification met the prerequisites outlined in Section 13 (6). However, Imran Khan’s counsel emphasized the complexity of the matter, highlighting the involvement of 25 witnesses, with three already cross-examined and a total of 28 witnesses scheduled. The lawyer urged the court to temporarily halt the trial as it was progressing daily, expressing concern that the trial court might reach a final decision without proper consideration.
The court reiterated the issuance of a notice before any further action, which was received by the FIA Prosecutor Rizwan Abbasi in the courtroom.
Ultimately, the High Court acceded to the PTI founder’s lawyer’s request for an injunction, ordering a halt to the cipher trial until January 11. Subsequently, the hearing for the case was adjourned.
