ISLAMABAD  -  The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday halted pro­ceedings against PTI Chair­man Imran Khan in the ci­pher case, stressing the need for the court to be informed about the circumstances that prompted the trial to be con­ducted in jail. The IHC divi­sion bench, comprising Justice Mian Gul Hassan Aurang­zeb and Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz, announced the ver­dict while hearing the former prime minister’s intra-court appeal against a single-mem­ber bench’s decision that had approved Imran’s trial in jail.

The IHC endorsed Imran’s indictment, disposing of his plea against the same, but had also instructed the spe­cial court judge to ensure a “fair trial”. At the commencement of the hearing yesterday, PTI chief Imran Khan’s lawyer, Salman Akram Raja, and Attorney Gen­eral Mansoor Awan were pres­ent in the court. Justice Au­rangzeb clarified that allowing certain family members of the petitioner did not make it into an open court hearing. The at­torney general informed the court that the federal cabinet had approved the proceedings in the cipher case at the trial court, and a copy of the relevant notification would be present­ed. Justice Aurangzeb expressed that the court will scrutinise the notification, questioning the “extraordinary circumstances” that led to the trial being con­ducted in its current manner. “We want to know the actual events; you have to inform us,” the judge remarked. Further­more, the court sought clarifica­tion on the reasons behind the federal cabinet’s approval of the jail trial. “The most important question lies in determining the status of court proceedings pre­ceding the cabinet’s approval,” Justice Aurangzeb asked.

The judge also referred to the former Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi’s jail trial, saying “it was conducted at Tihar Jail where media was not allowed. Similar to that scenario involving a former premier, this case also involves the ex-PM.” After the ar­guments, the court sought a reply from the attorney general and ad­journed the hearing. Meanwhile, the Accountability Court rejected the NAB plea seeking physical re­mand of PTI chief Imran Khan in the £190 million National Crime Agency (NCA) case. The court Judge M. Bashir adjourned the case proceedings till November 17. However, the court said that the NAB can investigate Imran Khan until November 17 in the jail. Accountability Court Judge M. Bashir will travel to Adyala Jail for the proceedings again the case hearing. According to sources privy to the hearing, the Account­ability Court will also wait for Is­lamabad High Court decision on November 16. According to the sources, Imran Khan argued that he has nothing to do with £190 million. The money is in the Su­preme Court account. He and his wife Bushra Bibi are trustees of Al-Qadir University.