ATTOCK Pakistan-e-Tehreek (PTI) chairman Imran Khan will remain behind bars as a special court has extended the judicial remand in the missing cypher case till September 13.
The PTI chairman was brought before the special court convened inside the Attock Jail where the former prime minister is being held. Special Court Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain conducted the hearing and extended the judicial remand by fourteen days.
The former prime minister was not taken to the special court for the extension of judicial remand. The government has allowed the trial to be conducted within the jail after the remand expired.
After the hearing, the PTI chairman’s legal team including Barrister Salman Safdar and Naeem Haider Panjutha filed three applications in the special court challenging the trial in court.
The first application has been regarding the post-arrest bail of the PTI chairman in the cypher case, saying the case under the Official Secrets Act is not applicable and was forcefully made for political revenge.
The second application challenges the notification of the Ministry of Law for conducting the hearing in the Attock Jail, and demands declaring it null and void. The third application demands conducting the trial of PTI chairman Imran Khan in an open court.
Speaking to media outside Attock Jail, the PTI chief’s counsel Barrister Salman Safdar said they have challenged the jail trial in court. He said a notice has been issued to the Ministry of Law on the plea to suspend the notification of the jail trial.
He said the court has issued notices on the petition filed against the jail trial and sought a response on September 2. He said they have filed three petition including an application to conduct the cypher case trial in open court.
Following the filing of the post-arrest bail application, the special court judge issued notices to the FIA and other respondents and sought their response on September 2.
The Law Ministry had given permission to conduct the hearing of the cipher case in Attock Jail. The ministry has issued a notification to set up a special court for the cipher case in jail tomorrow.
The PTI chief had been arrested in the cypher case. The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had sought an extension in judicial remand for investigation the case of the missing document.
