Special Court Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain, who’s hearing the cipher case against former Prime Minister Imran Khan, has gone on leave until September 8.

PTI’s lawyers, Babar Awan, Salman Safdar, and Naeem Haider Panjotha, reached the courtroom on Monday where staff told them that the Judge was on leave as his wife is unwell.

Attorney Salman Safdar requested court staff to fix the next hearing for Thursday.

However, the PTI’s legal team reached the courtroom of Judge Raja Javad and requested him to hear the case.

Judge Raja Javad replied that he could not hear the bail plea as he is not a duty judge.

“There is no notification of the duty judge under the Official Secrets Act. If the Islamabad High Court can mark it, only then I can hear it,” Judge Abbas remarked. “I can hear cases of 24 courts as a duty judge but not to the extent of the Official Secrets Act.”