A hearing scheduled for Friday in the cipher case against the former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi was postponed without fresh proceedings due to a stay granted by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on holding hearings inside jail premises.
A special court formed under the Official Secrets Act of 1923 was due to resume hearings of the case in Rawalpindi's Adiala jail on Friday. Judge Abul Hasnaat Zulqarnain arrived at Adiala Jail, as did the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Special Prosecutor Zulfiqar Naqvi.
Imran Khan's wife, Bushra Bibi, and his sisters travelled to Adiala Jail for the hearing. Qureshi's lawyer, Barrister Taimur Malik, Qureshi's family including his wife Mehreen Qureshi, and daughter Mehr Bano Qureshi were also present.
However, the court was adjourned until November 21 without proceedings. The high court is expected to decide on its stay on Monday, November 20.
Later, while speaking to the media, Naqvi said proceedings were adjourned due to the stay granted by the higher judiciary. This is why, he explained, they did not present their witnesses.
Earlier in the week, the high court had granted Imran Khan relief by granting a stay against the former prime minister's trial in jail on security grounds. The stay was granted on a request filed by Imran Khan.