Imran Khan to remain behind bars

Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan will remain behind bars after a special court extended his judicial remand in a cypher case till September 13, Geo News reported citing sources.

Pakistan's special court established under the Official Secrets Act extended Khan's judicial remand in the cypher case, a hearing of which was held at the Attock District Jail on Wednesday.

The case was heard by Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnai. He issued the decision in the case of the missing cypher, a classified state document that Khan had waved during his political gathering ahead of his ouster from office last year.

Hearing of the case took place at the Attock District Jail following approval by the Law Ministry amid security concerns expressed by the Interior Ministry.

Khan has been in jail since August 5 in the Toshakhana case for failing to properly declare gifts he received while in office.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi who was arrested on August 19 in the cypher case will also be produced at the judicial complex in relation to the cypher case today. He completed two-day remand is completed today, the sources told Geo News.

PTI leader Babar Awan a lawyer is representing Qureshi in court.

A day earlier, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had directed authorities to release Imran Khan on bail after it suspended his conviction and three-year jail term in the Toshakhana case, Dawn News reported. He, however, continues to be in jail for the cypher case.

The bench comprising Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahan­giri on the former prime minister’s appeal against his prison term announced the much-anticipated order, that comes months ahead of the national elections in the country.

According to Dawn News, the trial court in Islamabad had convicted the PTI chief in the case filed by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) that involved concealing details of state gifts and jailed him for three years. The verdict meant he was disqualified from contesting general elections for five years.