A court in Pakistan has ordered an open trial of former Prime Minister Imran Khan inside the jail premises, which will be open to his family members and the public.
The special court in Islamabad on Tuesday said the trial in the alleged leaking of state secrets case will be held at Adiala Jail premises, about 34km (21 miles) from the capital, where Khan has been lodged since the end of September.
Despite an order by the Islamabad High Court last week, Khan was not presented before the court on Tuesday, with the government saying there were “serious security concerns”, including a threat to his life.
In his short order, Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain said five family members of Khan, and former Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi who is also an accused in the case, will be allowed to attend the proceedings along with the public and media.
The hearing will begin on Friday. The trial so far in the state secrets case, also called the cypher case, was being held in jail but the Islamabad High Court last week declared it illegal.
Credit: aljazeera.com
