Imran Khan marks 71st birthday behind bars
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan is marking his 71st birthday as he remains in prison where he is undergoing trial.
The former prime minister is currently incarcerated at the Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi where a closed-door trial is being held in the missing cypher case.
Despite being in jail, supporters and well-wishers have greeted the former premier on the occasion and said they hope to see him back.
Imran Khan and party leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi are expected to be indicted in the cypher case next week. The prosecution has requested an in-camera hearing and an early trial.
Special Court Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain also mentioned that copies of the challan, or charge sheet, would be provided during the upcoming hearing. The hearing was adjourned till October 9.
The cypher case is related to a classified document that allegedly went missing from Imran’s possession. According to the PTI, the document contained a threat from the United States to remove the party chairman from his position.
Imran was transferred to Attock jail on August 5, 2023, after being sentenced to three years in prison in the Toshakhana graft case. It was later revealed that he had been on judicial remand in the cypher case.
Both PTI leaders’ judicial remand was extended until October 10 and, following the orders of the Islamabad High Court, Imran was moved from Attock district jail to Adiala jail
On September 30, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) presented a charge sheet in the Special Court established under the Official Secrets Act, naming Imran and Qureshi as the main accused in the cypher case.
Earlier this week, the FIA requested in-camera proceedings for Imran’s bail plea in the cypher case, stating that an open hearing could potentially harm diplomatic relations with other countries.
The Ministry of Law and Justice issued a notification for the jail trial of the former premier and former foreign minister in the cypher case.