RAWALPINDI (Dunya News) - PTI chairman and party’s central leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi could not be indicted in cipher case on Tuesday as the accused had not been provided copies of the challan.
The court said it will indict the PTI leaders on next date of hearing.
The special court established under the Official Secrets Act conducted hearing of the caser in Adiala Jail. Judge Abul Hasnaat Zulqarnain conducted hearing of the case.
Prosecutor Zulfikar Abbas Naqvi, special prosecutor FIA Shah Khawar and FIA’s investigation officer were present during the hearing at Adiala Jail.
PTI chairman’s counsel Salman Safdar Butt, Khalid Yousaf and Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s daughter and son Zain Qureshi were also present during the hearing. The court said it would frame charges against PTI chairman and vice chairman on the next hearing date.
During the previous hearing, the indictment was deferred due to non-provision of challan copies to the parties. However, the court provided copies of challan to the accused. The court then adjourned hearing of the case for a week.
In the previous hearing, Special court judge Abul Hasnaat had fixed October 17 for indictment of PTI chairman and vice chairman.
Also Read: Qureshi approaches IHC against his jail trial in Cipher case
Earlier, former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi had approached the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to challenge the proceedings of his jail trial in cipher case. The PTI Vice Chairman, Shah Mehmood Qureshi submitted a petition to the court with the assistance of advocate Syed Ali Bukhari. The petition contended that the court should stop the trial court from proceeding without prior notification, and he urged the case to be heard in an open court rather than within the jail.