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The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday rejected the PTI\u2019s request seeking a stay order on ex-premier Imran Khan\u2019s in-camera trial<\/a> in the cipher case as it issued a notice to the federation.<\/p>\n Imran, in a petition<\/a> filed last week, had challenged the trial \u2014 being conducted at the Adiala jail \u2014 and subsequent developments, including the framing of charges<\/a> and a gag order<\/a> on the media.<\/p>\n The Special Court (Official Secrets Act) had begun the cipher trial afresh last week at the Adiala district jail after Imran and former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi were indicted<\/a> for a second time in the case on Dec 13.<\/p>\n The cipher case pertains to a diplomatic document<\/a> that the Federal Investigation Agency\u2019s charge sheet alleges was never returned<\/a> by Imran. The PTI has long held<\/a> that the document contained a threat from the United States to oust Imran as prime minister.<\/p>\n The former premier and his aide Qureshi, who is also behind bars, were first indicted in the case on Oct 23. Both had pleaded not guilty. Four witnesses had alre\u00ada\u00addy recorded<\/a> their statements when the IHC termed the government\u2019s notification for a jail trial \u201cerroneous\u201d and scrap\u00adped<\/a> the entire proceedings.<\/p>\n The IHC had endorsed Imran\u2019s indictment, disposing of his plea against the same, but had also instructed the special court judge to ensure a \u201cfair trial\u201d.<\/p>\n