Cipher case: PTI founder expresses distrust over state-appointed lawyers

RAWALPINDI: The ongoing Cipher case against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and Vice-Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi took an interesting turn on Saturday after the leaders expressed distrust over the state-appointed lawyers.

Following Khan and Qureshi's lawyers' failure to appear in the special court for today's hearing — on the prosecution's plea seeking to terminate the right to cross-examination for the witnesses — the duo were represented by Malik Abdul Rehman and Hazrat Younus, respectively to cross-examine the witnesses.

During today's hearing, the court inquired about the absence of the senior lawyers for the accused, in response to which, assistant lawyer Qamar Anayat Raja filed an application to postpone the hearing saying that senior counsel Sikander Zulqarnain was undergoing dental surgery and could not attend.

Special Prosecutor Zulfikar Abbas Naqvi expressed concern about the repeated adjournment requests, emphasising the inconvenience to witnesses who have come from Dubai for cross-examination.

Despite the explanation regarding the ongoing dental surgery, the court expressed frustration.

Prosecutor Naqvi questioned the regularity of lawyers’ appearances, suggesting a pattern of deliberate delays. Lawyer Raja defended the situation, saying that the adjournment request was not intentional but due to Sikandar's dental surgery.

Judge Zulqarnain expressed anger, noting the previous adjournments and the importance of the case.

The said issue became a point of contention between PTI leaders and special court Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain after the former expressed distrust over the state's counsels.

"How will [those] lawyers will represent us whom we do not trust? What's the point of this," Khan told Judge Zulqarnain.

"We do not understand the English being spoken by the state-appointed lawyers," the former prime minister complained while calling for the case proceedings to be held in Urdu.

"I have been asking for three months to be allowed to meet the lawyers before the hearing," the PTI founder said while complaining that despite repeated requests, he hasn't been allowed to consult with his counsels.

"How will the case proceed if [we are] not allowed to have consultations with [our] lawyers?" he stressed.

"What's happening is contradictory to the prerequisites of a transparent trial. There has never been a trial in Pakistan's history compared to what's happening now," Khan said while urging the judge to direct "these infiltrators" to get out of the courtroom.

In response to Khan's complaint, Judge Zulqarnain said that he had given as much relief to him as possible.

"[I] approved your requests for [provision of] an exercise bike and [permission] for meeting your lawyers," the judge said.

To this, the PTI founder lamented that despite the judge's orders allowing him to hold meetings, the said meetings never took place.

Meanwhile, PTI's Vice Chairman Qureshi also engaged in a heated argument with Judge Zulqarnain asking the latter to announce the verdict.

"Do we not have any right to argue the case through our lawyers?

"Justice is being strangled [...] Our counsels are not being allowed to enter the jail," Qureshi said.

The former foreign minister even took the file from the state-appointed lawyer and threw it on the wall as he expressed distrust over the state's counsels.

"[Our] defence is being handled by the lawyers nominated by the prosecution. This proves that the case has already been decided," the politico lamented.

"Your lawyers didn't bother to come despite the date being fixed on three occasions. If you [Qureshi] want to cross-examine [the witnesses] yourself then you can do that as well," Judge Zulqarnain said while responding to Qureshi's remarks and lamenting the politician's lawyers' failure to appear before the court.

"Shah sahib, what's the point of delaying the case?" he questioned.

"I am not in jail by choice," the PTI's vice-chairman responded.

Following Khan and Qureshi's expression of distrust over the state lawyers, the court directed the authorities to have the PTI leaders talk to their counsels on the phone and announced a break in the proceedings in light of consultations with the lawyers.