Ex-PM Imran Khan trial for leaking state secrets adjourned without indictment 

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Updated 12 December 2023
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Ex-PM Imran Khan trial for leaking state secrets adjourned without indictment 

  • Despite court orders to allow media and public access to trial, only few journalists allowed inside jail premises
  • Lawyer says Khan and Qureshi’s family members barred from entering jail building, some PTI leaders also denied entry

RAWALPINDI: The trial of jailed former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan began today, Tuesday, in the “cipher case” in which he is accused of leaking official secrets, with proceedings adjourned until Wednesday without the ex-premier being indicted as was widely expected.

A special court established to hear the cipher reference had been conducting the trial inside the Adiala prison in Rawalpindi for weeks without media or members of the public allowed, before the Islamabad High Court ruled the hearings illegal last month and ordered them restarted in an open court. Khan had already been indicted in the case in October during the now annulled trial but the special court judge announced last week he would be indicted again on Dec. 12 as part of the restarted proceedings.

Hearings started afresh last week. Ex-foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who is also accused in the case, will also be indicted with Khan.

“Hearing adjourned till tomorrow, Wednesday, December 13,” Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf said in a text message to reporters on Tuesday afternoon. “No indictment yet.”

On Tuesday, despite the court’s orders to allow journalists in the hearing, only around five were allowed inside while a dozen others waited outside the jail premises. No followers of Khan, arguably the most popular politician in Pakistan and the founder of the PTI party, had arrived at the scene, and there was scant police and security presence.

Khan’s legal counsel Salman Safdar appeared outside the jail while the hearing was ongoing and spoke to reporters, saying only a “few” representatives from the media were allowed entry into the jail premises and were seated at a distance of 50 feet from the judge during the hearing.

“Family members [of Khan and Qureshi] were stopped [from entering the jail] for 45 minutes,” Safdar added. “The cipher trial was wrapped up previously in haste due to which the entire activity was declared null and void [by the IHC].”

“We reject this open trial, we have submitted a request for a genuine open trial,” he added.




Uzma Khanum, center, and Aleema Khan, left, sisters of Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan, arrive to attend the hearing of the Cipher case against Khan at Adiala prison, in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, on December 12, 2023. (AP)

During the hearing, according to Safdar, Khan and Qureshi both requested the judge that witnesses in the case be presented in the presence of the media.

Even senior PTI leaders complained they had been barred by prison guards from entering the jail building.

“Despite having the court’s permission, this is the sixth time they have kept me from attending the hearing,” Raoof Hasan, PTI Coordinator For International Media, told Arab News outside Adiala.

Only a few journalists were allowed into the last hearing also, according to Khan’s legal team.

Khan has challenged the process of his indictment by the special court at the Islamabad High Court and requested that proceedings at Adiala be halted until the IHC petition is decided.

“My feeling is that this judge will be very anxious to proceed with the trial and once again frame charges [indict] in haste which he should not because we have filed certain applications in Islamabad High Court and they have not been fixed or taken up today,” Safdar, the lawyer, had told Arab News outside the prison before the hearing began.

“Until and unless they are taken up and decided, this trial court should wait.”

Safdar praised Khan for being in high spirits, saying he had not seen a client with so much “patience” in his 23-year-long legal career.

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Khan is serving a three-year sentence at Adiala jail in a separate case in which he was convicted in August for failing to disclose assets earned from the sale of state gifts while he was PM from 2018-2022.

Khan is also accused in a number of other cases, including the cipher case, which relates to an alleged diplomatic correspondence between Washington and Islamabad that Khan says was proof that his ouster as PM in a parliamentary vote of no-confidence in April 2022 was part of a US conspiracy to remove him. Washington has repeatedly denied Khan’s accusations.

According to Khan, the US got involved in the plot to oust him after his visit to Moscow and less than a month before his ouster, he waved a letter to a crowd during a public rally, claiming it was a cipher from a foreign nation calling for the end of his government. He later revealed that government to be the US.

According to the police complaint against them, Khan and Qureshi, who was Khan’s foreign minister during his tenure, are both accused of leaking state secrets to unauthorized individuals by publicly disclosing the contents of the confidential diplomatic cable and distorting facts “with ulterior motives and for personal gains.” These actions, authorities say, had jeopardized the Pakistani state’s security interests.

Khan has not been seen in public since he was arrested in August. Prior to that, he regularly addressed his millions of followers via social media platforms and held massive public rallies and protest marches. Khan had also been appearing in courts prior to his August arrest, protected by his personal security guards. But he had also sought exemptions from personal appearances, often citing threats to his safety.

The former premier says all cases against him are “politically motivated” and aimed at keeping him and his party out of politics ahead of general elections, due in February.

The caretaker government of PM Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar denies a crackdown against the PTI and says no party is barred from the polls.


Pakistan to hold key national security briefing for political parties today amid India tensions

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Pakistan to hold key national security briefing for political parties today amid India tensions

  • Pakistan has been preparing for possible military confrontation with India ever since Apr. 22 Kashmir attack
  • Parties to be informed about preparation of armed forces and Islamabad’s diplomatic initiatives, says state media 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s information minister and military spokesperson will hold an important national security briefing today, Sunday, for representatives of various political parties amid Islamabad’s surging tensions with Delhi, according to state-run media. 

Pakistan has been preparing for the possibility of a military confrontation with India ever since its tensions with its nuclear-armed neighbor skyrocketed last month. Delhi blamed Islamabad for being involved in a militant attack on Apr. 22 at a tourist resort in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 tourists. 

Pakistan denied involvement and as India vowed to go after backers of the Kashmir attack, Islamabad vowed it would give a “strong” response to any military action by India. 

“Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar and Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry will hold an important background briefing on the national security for representatives of all political parties on Sunday,” the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported on Saturday.

It said the briefing would primarily focus on the prevailing national security landscape, particularly concerning relations between Pakistan and India, and its broader implications. 

Political parties will be informed about the preparedness of Pakistan’s armed forces while information about ongoing diplomatic initiatives and Islamabad’s official stance on the situation will also be shared, it added. 

“The statement said that the briefing, in the current situation, is a prime example of national unity and consensus among all the parties,” APP said. 

As tensions surge between the two neighbors, their forces have traded fire over the Line of Control frontier in Kashmir while diplomats have exchanged barbs, expelled citizens and ordered their land border shut.

Pakistani opposition parties have in recent times become more openly critical of the military, which has been accused of being heavily involved in politics and the economy. The military denies the allegations. 

However, recent tensions with India have turned bitter political foes into temporary allies. 

When the Senate voted on an anti-India resolution last month, jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party voted in favor, ensuring it passed unanimously.


Pakistan plans media visit to de facto Kashmir border to counter Indian reports of militant camps

Updated 04 May 2025
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Pakistan plans media visit to de facto Kashmir border to counter Indian reports of militant camps

  • The trip has been organized by the information ministry and is expected to take place on Monday
  • Information minister, military spokesperson will brief politicians on Pakistan-India tensions today

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan plans to take local and foreign journalists to the Line of Control (LoC), the de facto border separating the two parts of the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, on Monday, following Indian media reports alleging the presence of militant camps on the Pakistani side.
According to the state-owned Associated Press of Pakistan (APP), the trip has been organized by the information ministry and was originally planned for Sunday. However, it had to be postponed due to a weather forecast predicting inclement conditions.
The media visit has been planned less than two weeks after the April 22 gun attack in Pahalgam, a tourist destination in Indian-administered Kashmir, that killed 26 people.
Security sources say the visit will allow journalists to investigate claims made in recent Indian media reports identifying several locations allegedly used as militant camps.
“Journalists will be taken to all the areas mentioned in recent reports to independently verify the claims,” a security official said on condition of anonymity. “Pakistan rejects these allegations and considers them part of a propaganda effort.”
Recent Indian news reports named various towns and villages near the LoC and claimed that militant groups had vacated camps ahead of potential Indian strikes. Pakistani authorities have dismissed the claims of militant presence and camps as baseless.
Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar and military spokesperson Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry are also scheduled to brief leaders of Pakistan’s political parties on Sunday, said a report in Radio Pakistan.
“The high-level background briefing will focus on the current state of national security, particularly in the context of Pakistan-India relations and the implications of recent developments,” it said.
“Participants will be briefed on the defensive preparedness of Pakistan’s armed forces, ongoing diplomatic efforts, and the official stance of the state on key issues,” the report added.
 


European states back Pakistan’s proposal for Kashmir inquiry following Pahalgam attack

Updated 03 May 2025
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European states back Pakistan’s proposal for Kashmir inquiry following Pahalgam attack

  • Foreign office says Switzerland’s FM offered assistance with the probe during a call with Ishaq Dar
  • Greek foreign minister urges restraint to prevent escalation between the two South Asian neighbors

ISLAMABAD: Switzerland and Greece welcomed Pakistan’s proposal for an independent investigation into last month’s gun attack on a tourist hub in Indian-administered Kashmir, with the Swiss government offering to assist in facilitating a transparent probe, said the foreign office on Saturday.
The April 22 assault in Pahalgam, a popular destination in the disputed Himalayan region, killed 26 people. India blamed Pakistan for the attack, an allegation Islamabad has repeatedly denied. Tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors have surged in the wake of the attack, with India imposing trade and shipping restrictions and suspending its participation in the Indus Waters Treaty.
Pakistan has responded by calling for a neutral and transparent international investigation into the incident while warning that any military action would trigger a strong response despite Islamabad’s desire to avoid escalation.
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar spoke over the phone with the foreign minister’s of Switzerland and Greece, presenting his country’s perspective on the situation.
“FM @ignaziocassis appreciated Pakistan’s commitment to peace, and endorsed its proposal for an investigation,” the foreign office said in a social media post, referring to Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis, following a call between the two officials. “He expressed Switzerland’s readiness to offer its good offices and explore appropriate mechanisms to facilitate an impartial investigation.”
Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis also welcomed Pakistan’s proposal for an impartial inquiry and stressed the importance of restraint to prevent escalation and preserve regional stability, according to another post.
A day earlier, Dar spoke with European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas, who emphasized the need for dialogue between the two South Asian nuclear rivals to maintain regional peace and stability.
The Pakistani deputy prime minister told all three European officials that Islamabad rejects India’s allegations and unilateral actions like the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty.
He described the Indian decision to hold the treaty “in abeyance” as a violation of international law.
Pakistan and India have fought multiple wars over Kashmir, which both countries claim in full but control in part. The latest diplomatic exchanges come as concerns rise over the potential for further escalation following the Pahalgam attack.


Pakistan’s cement exports jump 29% but domestic demand remains weak

Updated 03 May 2025
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Pakistan’s cement exports jump 29% but domestic demand remains weak

  • Cement industry has struggled due to economic headwinds, high construction costs in Pakistan
  • APCMA has asked the government to announce industry-friendly measures in the upcoming budget

KARACHI: Pakistan’s cement exports rose nearly 29% to 7.4 million tons in the first ten months of the current fiscal year, but overall despatches remained flat due to sluggish domestic demand, industry data showed on Saturday.
Total cement despatches, domestic and exports combined, reached 37.336 million tons during the July 2024 to April 2025 period, just 0.32% lower than the same stretch last year, according to the All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association (APCMA).
Domestic sales, however, dropped 5.55% to 29.978 million tons, while exports surged 28.77% from 5.714 million tons to 7.359 million tons.
“A healthy rise in exports this year is a good omen,” an APCMA statement said. “However, the industry’s resurgence was limited due to low domestic demand, leaving about one third of the industry capacity idle.”
April 2025 data showed total cement despatches increased by 13.24% year-on-year to 3.342 million tons, driven by a 34.56% jump in exports and a modest 7.64% rise in local sales.
The APCMA statement urged the government to announce industry-friendly measures in the upcoming budget to boost domestic construction activity and enhance the global competitiveness of Pakistani cement.
Pakistan’s cement industry has struggled in recent years with subdued domestic consumption due to economic headwinds and high construction costs, forcing manufacturers to increasingly rely on exports.


India blocks Pakistani celebrities on social media

Updated 03 May 2025
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India blocks Pakistani celebrities on social media

  • Last month, India banned more than a dozen Pakistani YouTube channels for spreading ‘provocative’ content
  • Fawad Khan, Babar Azam, and Arshad Nadeem among celebrities whose accounts have been blocked

NEW DELHI: New Delhi widened measures against Islamabad on Saturday, blocking access to the social media accounts of Pakistani actors and cricketers, as well as extending trade blocks and stopping postal services.
India blames Pakistan of backing the deadliest attack in years on civilians in Indian-administered Kashmir on April 22, in which 26 men were killed.
Islamabad has rejected the charge, and both countries have since exchanged gunfire across their contested de facto border in Kashmir.
Pakistan’s military said it carried out a “training launch” of a surface-to-surface missile weapons system on Saturday, further heightening tensions.
On Saturday, India’s communications ministry issued a statement saying it had “decided to suspend the exchange of all categories of inbound mail and parcels from Pakistan through air and surface routes.”
The arch-rivals had already expelled each other’s citizens and closed the main border crossing, and barred aircraft from each other’s airspace.
Indian media on Saturday, citing a Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) order, said that Pakistani-flagged ships are barred from any Indian port — and Indian ships are banned from Pakistan.
The move, however, is seen as largely symbolic, as regular diplomatic flare-ups between the neighbors over decades have prevented close economic ties.
But cultural ties remain far stronger. The nations were only divided by the 1947 colonial creation at the violent end of British rule, partitioning the sub-continent into Hindu-majority India and Muslim-majority Pakistan.
On social media, India banned on April 28 more than a dozen Pakistani YouTube channels for allegedly spreading “provocative” content, including Pakistani news outlets.
On Saturday, further restrictions blocked access in India to the Instagram account of Pakistan’s ex-prime minister and cricket captain Imran Khan.
Bollywood movie regulars Fawad Khan and Atif Aslam were also off limits, as well as a wide range of cricketers — including star batters Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan and retired players Shahid Afridi and Wasim Akram.
Olympic gold medallist Arshad Nadeem’s Instagram account was also no longer accessible to Indian users, reflecting the broad scope of the clampdown beyond just cricket.
Users in India attempting to access these accounts are shown a message indicating that they are unavailable due to compliance with a legal request.