ISLAMABAD: The special court hearing the cipher case against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and PTI vice chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Tuesday ruled the hearing of the case will be held in jail but in open court.

The special court judge, Abual Hasnat Muhammad Zulqarnain, in his three-page written orders announced that due to security concerns expressed by the security agencies, the trial of the cipher case will be held in Adiala jail but in open court.

The court’s order says that Adiala authorities have submitted their report based on security reports from Additional Inspector General Operations, Intelligence Bureau, and Special Branch.

As per the report, communicated to the special court, there is an acute threat to the life of accused Imran Ahmad Khan Niazi who is a former prime minister.

The aforesaid security reports have been perused carefully by this court, it said, adding that it is evident from these reports that the threat to the life of the accused, Imran Ahmad Khan Niazi has not receded and in fact has increased over the past few months.

“Threat assessment, particularly in a present case, where one of the accused is a former premier cannot be taken lightly by his court. It is evident from these reports as also the post instance where the convergence of a larger number of workers of the political party of the accused resulted in compromising the sanctity of Federal Judicial Complex (FJC), Islamabad”, it said, adding that therefore, conducting the trial in FJC is neither safe for the life of accused nor for those who are in attendance of the proceedings out for the others, as well.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023