The Islamabad High Court revoked the stay order on Thursday in the cypher case trial, declaring all proceedings after December 14 null and void. Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb heard the appeal against the in-camera trial of PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan in the cypher case.
The IHC had stopped the trial of the case till January 11. During the hearing, Attorney General of Pakistan Mansoor Usman Awan and Imran’s lawyer Salman Akram Raja appeared in court.
Following the AGP’s arguments, Raja maintained that the proceedings after the December 14 order should be declared null and void as the order was incorrect.
The special court hearing the cypher case had on December 14 accepted the Federal Investigation Agency’s plea seeking an in-camera trial of the former premier and former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, his co-accused.
The plea was accepted despite the IHC’s earlier order calling for the trial to be heard in open court. Justice Aurangzeb then told the AGP that if he wanted the proceedings to start again, then he should do it from the date the order was passed. A relevant order will also be issued in this regard.
AGP Awan assured to start the proceedings again, adding that 13 witnesses were ready to have their statements recorded again. Later, the court annulled all proceedings of the cypher case trial after December 14 and cancelled the stay order.
