The Islamabad High Court halted on Thursday former prime minister Imran Khan’s trial in the cipher case as presiding judge Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb issued an interim order against a plea related to in-camera trial of the case.

The case has been adjourned till January 11.

The cipher case pertains to a diplomatic document that reportedly went missing from Khan’s possession. The PTI alleges that the document contained a threat from the United States to oust Imran from office because of his stance on Russia.

Khan and Qureshi are being tried by a special court under the Official Secrets Act. All hearings in the case have so far been held inside the Adiala Jail.

On Friday, a three-member Supreme Court bench approved the bail petitions of former prime minister Imran Khan and ex-foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the cipher case, saying that their imprisonment would not serve any use and their release could lead to ‘genuine elections’.

A three-member SC bench led by acting Chief Justice of Pakistan Sardar Tariq Masood had heard the case. Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Mansoor Ali Shah were the other two members of the bench.

The bench directed that the two leaders be released on bail and directed them to submit surety bonds worth Rs1 million each.