Attock jail authorities refuse to present PTI chairman in court

ISLAMABAD: Attock jail authorities have refused to present the Pakitan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman in the Islamabad High Court on Monday (today) due to security reasons.

In a letter to the court, the jail administration cited security concerns as the reason for the decision.

The administration believed that transporting the former prime minister from the Attock jail to the Islamabad court would be a security risk.

The letter has requested that the court exempt the PTI chairman from appearing in person on September 25.

The Islamabad High Court on Saturday fixed the post-arrest bail plea filed by the PTI chairman  in the cipher case. 

PTI chairman is currently incarcerated at the Attock jail in the cipher case.

The cipher case against the PTI chairman is a legal controversy involving the former prime minister of Pakistan and his alleged disclosure of a classified diplomatic cable.

According to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), the former prime minister and his former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi leaked the contents of a confidential cable sent by Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States, which they claimed proved a US-led conspiracy to topple Khan’s government in 2022. The US and Pakistan’s military have denied any such involvement.

The former prime minister was arrested on August 5, 2023, after being convicted in a separate corruption case for selling state gifts he received during his tenure as prime minister³. His conviction also resulted in him being barred from contesting elections for five years.

On August 29, 2023, the Islamabad High Court suspended his prison sentence and ordered his release on bail, but he remained in custody due to the cipher case.

On September 13, 2023, a special court extended his judicial remand till September 26, in the cipher case. On September 23, the Islamabad High Court fixed his post-arrest bail plea for hearing on September 25.