Mockery of Justice in Cypher Case Proceedings at Adiala Jail: Former Pak PM Imran Khan's Lawyer | Exclusive

A mockery of justice was underway in the cypher case proceedings at Adiala Jail, former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan’s lawyer has claimed.

The proceedings had been underway for over 10 hours and the cross-examination of all witnesses was likely to be completed in the night at breakneck speed with a clear objective, announcing a sentence before the general elections, said sources.

“Astonishingly, the court moved during the afternoon to the previous small courtroom, allowing only Salman Safdar, Sikander Zulqarnain and I to sit inside while Imran Khan and Shah Mehmood Qureshi and their family members and Barrister Gohar were squashed together in the small cell separated from the courtroom by a meshed wiresheet,” said the lawyer, Salman Safdar.

Moreover, the cross-examination was being conducted by a junior state counsel (unlawfully) appointed by the court, he added. “Even though Barrister Salman Safdar, Barrister Gohar Khan, Sikander Zulqarnai,n and I have been present inside Adiala all day and Imran Khan and Shah Mehmood Qureshi have repeatedly asked the court that we, their duly nominated lawyers, should be allowed to cross-examine the witnesses.”

“We have finally left Adyala only after being told by Imran Khan to speak to the media and highlight the state of affairs,” Safdar added.

Imran Khan was accused of jeopardising national security as prime minister by exposing a controversial diplomatic communication commonly known as “cypher”. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief used a cable sent by the country’s embassy in Washington in March 2022 to blame the United States for orchestrating his ouster from power a month later.