Islamabad High Court stays cipher trial till January 11
PTI founder & others found ECP defaulters during scrutiny
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday issued stay orders restraining cipher trial proceedings.
Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb restrained the case till January 11 while hearing a petition against in-camera trial.
The defence pleaded to the court that instead of complaint an FIR of the case was registered, and court proceedings were initiated.
The court served notice to the federation over the appeal against the indictment.
Justice Miangul Aurangzeb on the defence plea said that the court initially issuing notice adding that necessary papers of the trial should be submitted in the next hearing.
“Why an in-camera trial started when this court ordered for an open trial,” Justice Aurangzeb questioned. “Why an in-camera hearing being held when jail trial being conducted,” the bench asked. “The reasons for in-camera trial have been written in three lines,” court said. “We have described what is an open trial, saying you, you and you come is not an open trial,” the Judge said.
“Media has been allowed, who anyone wants to attend can come,” Attorney General told the court. “This is not the way, there must be an order,” Justice Miangul said.
“If cross-examnation was held in presence of the media,” court questioned.
Attorney General said that the three persons cross-examined were linked with the code, decode of cipher.
“We have tried to understand an open trial in the judgment, why don’t you understand that a strong case goes in vain if not run properly,” court said.
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Prosecutor Raja Rizwan Abbasi said that the plea against in-camera trial has been non-maintainable, “I will assist the court over the matter”.
Attorney General assured the court that only four witnesses in-camera cross-examination will be conducted, which have been linked the Foreign Office’s cipher security.
The bench adjourned further hearing of the plea against in-camera hearing of the case till January 11.
While the PTI founder and others found ECP defaulters during scrutiny
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and other party leaders were found defaulters of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) during scrutiny of their nomination papers.
The ECP has released a list of defaulter candidates, who failed to pay the fine slapped by the electoral body. The list includes the former prime minister and several PTI former ministers including ex-lawmakers.
According to the ECP, 37 candidates were slapped with fines by the ECP over code of conduct violations.
The defaulters’ list includes the former prime minister and PTI founder, former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Mahmood Khan, Kamran Bangash, Taimur Jhagra, Shaukat Yousafzai, Ishtiaq Armar, Amjad Afridi and others.
The Election Commission of Pakistan has directed the concerned returning officers to collect fines from the candidates during scrutiny of their nomination papers.
Pakistan’s electoral body made it clear that those failing to pay the fine will face rejection of their nomination papers.
It is to be noted that the scrutiny of the nomination papers filed by the candidates to contest general elections 2024 will continue until December 30 (Saturday).
Appeals against the acceptance or rejection of nomination papers can be submitted until January 3 and decisions on these appeals will be made by January 10.
The list of candidates will be displayed on the 11th of January, and candidates will have the option to withdraw by January 12.
The electoral symbols will be allotted on January 13, and polling for the general elections will be held on February 8.
