X case: NCCIA tells IHC Imran 'not cooperating'

The country's cybercrime watchdog has told the capital's high court that former prime minister Imran Khan has refused to cooperate with it in connection with its investigations into the PTI founder's alleged social media posts from inside a prison.

The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has submitted a report to the Islamabad High Court (IHC) which is currently hearing a petition filed by a citizen, Ghulam Murtaza, seeking the blocking of Imran Khan's X account.

Imran Khan, who has been detained at Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail since September 2023, regularly makes social media posts—particularly on X to criticize the government and the state institutions.

According to the agency, NCCIA teams visited the PTI founder multiple times at Adiala Jail—in connection with an earlier case registered against Imran on September 13, 2024 for allegedly publishing anti-state posts--with court permission.

"[However], he [Imran Khan] did not cooperate and did not tell who is using and operating his social media accounts," the report said.

The NCCIA stated that it has already registered enquiries against the former PM in connection with controversial posts.

On January 21, the IHC while hearing the petition seeking closure of Imran's social media accounts noted that it could proceed further only if authorities allowed the PTI founder's counsel in the case Salman Akram Raja to meet his client in jail.

An IHC bench presided over by Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir also sought a written response from the Islamabad advocate general in a contempt of court petition filed by Raja over the authorities' failure to arrange his meeting with Imran despite a court order.

During the hearing, Justice Tahir also termed the response submitted by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) as unsatisfactory.

He observed that replies had been received from the jail authorities, the PTA and other respondents, but remarked that the PTA's response did not correspond to the nature of the writ petition.

Addressing the PTA's counsel, Justice Tahir said the authority should compare its reply with the actual relief sought in the petition.

During the hearing, Raja informed the court that he had been unable to consult his client in connection with the case, despite a court order dated November 4 permitting a legal meeting.

The court noted that final arguments in the X-account case would be heard on February 24, subject to the meeting being arranged.

The government lawyer contended that matters related to meetings with detainees fall within the jurisdiction of a larger bench. However, Justice Tahir remarked that the case could not proceed unless the petitioner's counsel was allowed to meet his client.