Former prime minister and founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, has raised serious concerns about the ongoing cypher case against him, declaring it a “fixed match” where the judge, jury, and prosecution seem to be on the same page.
Khan expressed these sentiments during an informal meeting with journalists at Adiala Jail on Saturday.
Addressing the media, Khan pointed fingers at Najam Sethi, stating that the prominent journalist had predicted his sentencing before February 5. “Everyone knows where he got this information from… the court should call him and ask him from where he got this piece of information,” Khan urged.
The former PM insisted that the crackdown on PTI is compromising the basic right of the people to live freely, claiming that human rights are being violated in the country.
He asserted that his legal team would be actively contesting the case from Monday, despite their absence in the court. “Our lawyers are contesting elections, that’s why they could not appear in court today,” he explained.
“The judge, jury, and prosecution are all one in this case. This match is fixed,” Khan declared. He continued to question Najam Sethi’s sources, urging the court to summon him for clarification. Khan expressed dissatisfaction with the ongoing trial, comparing it to the relief given to his political rival, Nawaz Sharif. “My trial is proceeding daily, and Nawaz Sharif is getting relief. Everyone is lying about the level-playing field being provided to my party,” Khan stated.
Criticising Nawaz Sharif’s alleged alliance with “Vigo Dala,” a term referring to double cabin vehicles associated with security agencies and enforced disappearances, Khan claimed that it played a role in dividing PTI in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by “updating the software”. In response to a journalist’s question about resolving issues through President Arif Alvi, Khan dismissed the idea, stating, “Who is listening to the president?”
Separately, Imran and Shah Mahmood Qureshi Saturday objected to being represented by state lawyers in the cipher case after their counsels failed to appear in court, source said.
Malik Abdul Rehman and Hazrat Younus appeared before the court representing Khan and Qureshi, respectively to cross-examine the witnesses.
The development comes after the former PTI chairman and the vice-chairman’s counsels failed to appear in the special court, established under the Official Secrets Act, during the hearing of a petition filed by the prosecution seeking to terminate the right to cross-examination for the witnesses.