IHC vacates stay on cipher case trial

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has halted the cipher case’s proceedings as of December 14 after accepting PTI founder Imran Khan’s appeal to end his in-camera trial.

Additionally, the top court lifted the proceedings’ stay.

Read More: IHC suspends the cipher case’s in-camera trial until January 11

On Thursday, the Islamabad High Court’s Justice Miangul Hasan Aurangzeb heard an appeal against PTI founder Imran Khan’s in-camera trial in the cipher case.

Noteworthy is the fact that the Islamabad High Court, citing “legal errors” in the case, on December 28 ordered a stay of former premier Imran Khan’s in-camera cipher trial until January 11.

Attorney General Mansoor Usman Awan and attorney Salman Akram Raja both appeared in court during today’s hearing.

Following the Attorney General’s arguments, lawyer Salman Akram Raja argued in court that the proceedings following the December 14 ruling ought to be deemed unlawful. He declared that the order from December 14 was incorrect.

The Attorney General was asked to drop the proceedings by Justice Miangul Hasan Aurangzeb, and he was instructed to do so from the location where the order was issued.

Read More: Islamabad High Court stays cipher trial till January 11

The Attorney General promised to restart the in-camera sessions when the IHC court stated that a regular order will also be issued in this regard. He also stated that the statements of thirteen witnesses were prepared for recording in the Cipher case.

Thus, on the assurance of AGP Awan, the court withdrew the stay order against the cipher trial.  Later, the court annulled all proceedings of the cipher case trial after December 14 and lifted the stay order on the proceedings.