The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has reserved the verdict on the intra-court appeal filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan against the jail trial in the cipher case.

The division bench comprising Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb and Justice Saman Riffat Imtiaz will announce the verdict at around 5:30 pm today.

High Court Suspends Khan's Jail Trial

In a hearing on November 14, the high court suspended Khan's jail trial in the cipher case, where he is currently in Adiala jail after being indicted by the special court Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain.

The decision followed the caretaker federal cabinet's approval of the jail trial for Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the case.

Justice Aurangzeb stated during the hearing that a short order on the appeal would be announced today, with the detailed order issued later.

The IHC's order overturns the previous rejection of Khan's plea against the jail trial on October 16.

Legal Arguments Unveiled in Khan's Defense

At the start of today's hearing, Khan's lawyer Salman Akram Raja presented arguments, emphasizing the proper procedure required for a jail trial. Raja highlighted that a judicial order with proper reasoning and government approval is essential, pointing out the absence of approval from the cabinet before November 12.

Raja argued that the judge's letter to the law ministry on November 8 does not constitute a judicial order, as it focused on future complications rather than retrospective approval.

He contended that the cabinet's approval without a specific request from the judge raises legal concerns.