Court summons Adiala Jail official in Imran’s case

The special court established under the Official Secrets Act on Monday summoned the Adiala Jail superintendent on Nov 8 for not following its order to allow PTI Chairman Imran Khan to talk with his sons, Sulaiman Isa Khan and Kasim Khan.

Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain was hearing the application filed by former premier’s counsel Shiraz Ahmed Ranjha for taking action against the superintendent.

In his petition, Imran stated that contempt of court proceedings should be initiated against the jail official for not following the court orders.

“The jail authorities should be ordered to implement the order to allow the PTI chairman to talk to his sons, Kasim and Sulaiman.”

Subsequently, the court adjourned the hearing till Nov 8.

The special court had permitted Imran to talk with his sons on WhatsApp every weekend.

During the hearing of the application filed by counsel Ranjha, a stand was taken that the court had already allowed the former premier to talk with his sons.

“Special permission should be given to Imran Khan to talk to his sons on WhatsApp on Saturday.”

Imran had filed an application earlier seeking the court's approval to engage in weekly conversations with his sons. However, owing to Judge Zulqarnain's unavailability, no action was taken on his plea.

Meanwhile, the special court will hear the cipher case against the PTI chief and party’s Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi at Adiala Jail on Tuesday (today).

The statements of three FIA witnesses will be recorded. Shah Khawar Advocate maintained that the day had been fixed for the purpose only.

Separately, a list of eight lawyers that will represent the PTI chief in the cipher case had been submitted in the court.

Last month, the Attock jail superintendent objected and hindered compliance with the court's order to allow Imran to speak with his sons over the phone. He had said the prison manual prohibited phone calls for those who were charged under the Official Secrets Act.

However, the judge later ordered the Adiala Jail superintendent to enable a telephone conversation between Imran and his sons via WhatsApp, while noting the standard operating procedures for arranging conversations between the accused and their relatives.

The conversation, held via WhatsApp, lasted for 30 minutes and was arranged by the jail superintendent between 4:30pm and 5pm.

Reports suggested that while Imran's sons, residing in the United Kingdom with their mother, became emotional during the interaction, their father remained composed and reassuring.

The trial against Imran involved allegations of misusing a diplomatic cipher. He is currently detained at Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail, having previously been in Attock jail after a conviction in the Toshakhana (gifts repository) case on Aug 5.

Imran was arrested on May 9 by NAB on charges of corruption related to the Al-Qadir Trust. He asserted that the cases against him were fabricated, vowing to prove his innocence.