Islamabad [Pakistan], September 4 : Special Court Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain, who has been hearing bail pleas of former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi in cipher case, has gone on leave until September 8, Pakistan-based Geo News reported.
The PTI legal team which includes lawyers Babar Awan, Salman Safdar and Naeem Haider Panjotha were informed regarding the leave of the judge in the courtroom. The courtroom staff told PTI's legal team that Judge Zulqarnain was on leave due to his wife’s illness and the hearing on the case was adjourned till September 7.
Subsequently, the PTI's legal team approached Judge Raja Javad Abbas' courtroom and requested him to hear the bail plea. However, the judge responded that he could not hear the case as he was not the duty judge, according to Geo News report.
Judge Abbas said, "There is no notification of the duty judge of the Official Secrets Act. If the Islamabad High Court can mark it, only then I can hear it. He said, "I can hear cases of 24 courts as a duty judge but not to the extent of the Official Secrets Act."
Lawyer Babar Awan suggested filing an application and approaching the high court for the hearing of the bail pleas. Judge Abbas agreed with Awan's suggestion and said the Islamabad High Court would take a decision regarding the matter, Geo News reported.
Judge Abbas asked how his court could hear the cipher case since it falls under the purview of the special court. He stated that he would hear PTI's application at 12 pm (local time) to take a decision on whether his court could hear the bail pleas of the PTI leaders. Later, the PTI's legal team withdrew the application for a hearing in the court of Judge Abbas.
Earlier in August, ATC-I Judge Zulqarnain was given an additional charge of the special court formed under the Official Secrets Act to hear matter related to the cipher that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) said was misplaced and used by former Pakistan PM Imran Khan for political purposes.
On September 2, a Special court formed to hear cases under the Official Secrets Act adjourned the hearing on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s petition seeking bail in the Cipher case till September 4, according to Geo News report. Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain conducted the in-camera hearing on the case.
In August, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) officially arrested Imran Khan in the cipher case after booking him under Official Secrets Act. Subsequently, he was sent on judicial remand in the cipher case till August 30 at the same time while he was serving his sentence in the Toshakhana case at Attock jail.
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