Islamabad (Web Desk): The special court will indict former premier Imran Khan and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the cipher case on December 12.
Earlier today, Judge Zulqarnain resumed hearing the case at the Adiala Jail.
Family members and lawyers of the incarcerated PTI leaders were in attendance along with special prosecutor Zulfikar Abbas Naqvi and Rizwan Abbasi.
Moreover, six members of the media were allowed to attend the proceedings.
During the hearing, Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi were provided with copies of the case record after their lawyers requested for the same.
The judge then adjourned the hearing till December 12 and said charges would be framed against the PTI leaders of the same day.
It is pertinent to mention that the trial was being held at Adiala Jail and four witnesses had already recorded their statements, with the fifth being cross-examined when the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had nullified the August 29 notification for a jail trial. Later the special court started a fresh trial.
Last week, Special Court Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain ruled that the trial proceedings would continue at the Adiala Jail but in an open court.
In August of this year, Khan and Qureshi were booked under the Official Secrets Act 1923 in the cipher case after the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) invoked Section 5 of the said law.
Former premier Imran Khan and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, both are in Adiala jail, were indicted in the case on Oct 23. Both have pleaded not guilty.
The cipher was about former Pakistan ambassador to the US Majeed's meeting with Lu.
The former prime minister, claiming that he was reading contents from the cipher, said that "all will be forgiven for Pakistan if Imran Khan is removed from power".
Later, after his removal, then-prime minister Shehbaz Sharif’ cabinet gave the green signal to initiate action against the former prime minister and handed over the case to the FIA.