TAXILA: The proceedings of the cipher case of incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan on Monday adjourned till Sept 14 as three special prosecutors presenting the state did not appear in court due to their engagements in the Supreme Court.

Mr Khan’s lawyer Naeem Haider Panjotha along with other members of PTI’s legal team while talking to newsmen outside Attock jail said, “we are told that the cipher court will resume at Attock jail on Sept 14, as special prosecutors representing the state not reached court due to their official assignments.”

He added that the hearing date was originally set for Sept 13 but was rescheduled by the judge on technical grounds. Mr Panjotha termed this adjournment as a delaying tactic to exert pressure on Mr Khan.

According to Mr Panjotha, who met with the incarcerated PTI chief in Attock jail on Monday, Mr Khan’s morale remains high. He quoted Mr Khan as saying that the only way to get the country out of present political and economic crises is to conduct transparent and timely elections.

PTI chief’s lawyer sees ‘delaying tactics’ as cipher case adjourned till Sept 14 due to prosecutors’ absence

He also relayed Mr Khan assertion that interference in country’s key affairs was taking place through the cipher, while the original copy was preserved in the foreign office.

Mr Panjotha pointed out that all economic indicators of Pakistan demonstrated significant growth during PTI’s tenure, citing the Economic Survey of 2021-22, which reported the highest growth in 17 years.

He said that Mr Khan’s legal team filed a contempt of court petition in a special court against the Attock jail superintendent for not allowing former prime minister to talk to his sons.

He said that the petition stated that despite the court order, the PTI chairman was not allowed to talk to his children on telephone.

He added that earlier on Aug 30, the special court set up to hear the cipher case had issued an order allow Mr Khan to talk to his sons over the phone; however, this order was not followed.

“We urged that the Attock jail superintendent must be summoned in personal capacity and requested to initiate contempt of court proceedings against him.”

In the petition, Mr Khan claimed that jail officials denied him permission to have a telephonic conversation with his sons, citing his detention under the Secrets Act.

He said that subsequently, Jud­ge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain issu­­ed a notice to Superintendent Att­ock Jail Arif Shehzad and sought a report on the implementation of the court’s order on Sept 15.

It is pertinent to mention here that a special court in Islamabad ordered Attock jail authorities, where the former prime minister is incarcerated, to keep Mr Khan in judicial lockup in the cipher case.

This order came hours after the Islamabad High Court suspended PTI chairman’s three-year sentence in the Toshakhana case.

Published in Dawn, September 12th, 2023