ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: Procee­dings in the cipher case recommenced in the open court on Thursday as the judge of Special Court (Official Secrets Act) issued summons for appearance of former prime minister Imran Khan and ex-foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi at the Federal Judicial Complex (FJC) on Nov 28.

It would be the first appearance of Mr Khan in an open court since his detention following conviction in the Toshakhana case on Aug 5.

The proceedings in the cipher case commenced on Aug 29 and Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain has so far recorded testimony of four witnesses after framing charges against Mr Khan and co-accused Mr Qureshi in the proceedings conducted at Adiala Jail.

However, an Islamabad High Court division bench comprising Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb and Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz declared the jail trial illegal and vitiated the entire proceedings.

At the outset of the Thursday’s proceedings, judge Zulqarnain termed the development an “achievement” for the legal team of PTI.

15 get bail in corps commander house attack case

Mr Qureshi’s daughter, Meher Bano Qureshi, was also present in the courtroom.

The judge perused the order of the IHC’s division bench and declared that the trial will recommence from the very start. He issued the direction for production of Mr Khan and Mr Qureshi in the court on Nov 28.

Meanwhile, an anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Thursday granted post-arrest bail to 15 suspects but denied it to six others in the May 9 corps commander house attack in Lahore.

Those granted bail included Hassan Ahmed, Aruna Naeem, Abdul Wahab, Zahid Mahmood, Pervez Iqbal, Qasim Ali, Hafiz Abbas, Bilal, Atif Munir, Iftikhar Khan, Shahid Mahmood and Waqar.

However, Judge Arshad Javed dismissed the bail petitions of Attique Riaz, husband of PTI social media activist Sanam Javed; Muhammad Naseem; Umar Elias; Muhammad Naeem; and Muhammad Waqas.

The judge adjourned bail petitions of 112 other suspects till Nov 30.

Special Prosecutor Farhad Ali Shah presented arguments against the bail pleas, stating that evidence and footage were available against the suspects involved in the attack on Lahore’s corps commander’s residence, also called the Jinnah House.

He said that during the attack, the suspects were in contact with PTI leaders, including Mian Mahmoodur Rashid. He said the identification of the suspects had been established as they were present in the Jinnah House during the attack.

However, the defence counsel argued that the case against the suspects was based on bad intention and asked the court to allow bail petitions.

The Sarwar Road police had registered the case against PTI leaders and workers on charges of attacking and burning down the corps commander’s house during the May 9 violent protests.

Published in Dawn, November 24th, 2023