IHC Seeks Notification For Keeping PTI Chief In Attock Jail

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday sought a notification from authorities pertaining to keeping the PTI chairman in the Attock Jail in the cipher case after suspension of his sentence in the Toshakhana criminal case

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 6th Sep, 2023 ) :The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday sought a notification from authorities pertaining to keeping the PTI chairman in the Attock Jail in the cipher case after suspension of his sentence in the Toshakhana criminal case.

Chief Justice Aamer Farooq heard the cases pertaining to provision of facilities to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief and running of his trial in jail in the cipher case.

At the outset of hearing, the Federal Investigation Agency's (FIA) prosecutor prayed the court to grant a one week time for submission of comments in the cipher case. He said the petitioner's lawyer had given an impression before the trial court that he would withdraw the case in the IHC.

The chief justice observed that the date on the notification regarding the changing of the trial's location was August 30. He questioned whether the notification was issued for only one hearing or for the complete trial.

The prosecutor said that he would inform the court in that regard after taking instructions.

The chief justice noted that the court was shifted to the Judicial Complex from F-8 Kachehri on the request of PTI chairman. How the Law Ministry issued the notification in that regard as the Interior Ministry was the relevant forum to do so, he asked.

The petitioner's lawyer Sher Afzal Marawat prayed the court to stop the authorities from shifting of the court's venue for next hearing.

The chief justice said that the court would fix the case before next hearing of the case by the trial court.

The PTI chief's lawyer said that they did not want to withdraw the case rather wanted to give arguments. The trial court was not hearing their post arrest bail plea due to pendency of the case at the IHC.

The chief justice said that the court would pass an order that its proceeding would not affect those in the post-arrest bail case.

Special Prosecutor Raja Rizwan Abbasi said that an identical case was also pending before the trial court.

During the hearing, the PTI chief's lawyer Latif Khosa prayed the court that his client should be shifted to the Adiala Jail, which was safer than the Attock Jail, and provided B-class facilities.

He said his client was facing a number of problems in the Attock Jail, where he could not even sleep at night.

The Assistant Advocate General Punjab said that the class system in jails had been abolished and now there were common and better classes. The PTI chairman had been given a better class, he added.

The chief justice observed that what would be the situation of a common class if the better class was in such a situation.

The AAG said that the grievances of PTI chairman in jail had been addressed. He had been provided a 21 inches tv, a bed, a chair and five newspapers, while five doctors were also deputed for him. The accused was being served with chicken and mutton twice a week.

The chief justice remarked that the PTI chief was an under trial accused in the cipher case and asked whether the jail could also be shifted during trial.

The AAG said that the Inspector General of Police had authority to shift any prisoner to another jail.

The PTI chief's lawyer said that his client had been granted bail in the Toshakhana case, and he could be kept only in the Adiala Jail in under trial cases of Islamabad.

The court then adjourned the case till September 12.