Says Khan being punished for pursuing real freedom movement, saying ‘absolutely not’
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Core Committee made it clear that they would not accept the cipher trial against PTI Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan in Attock Jail come what may, as he was deprived of “right to fair trial”.
The PTI core committee strongly condemned the judicial remand of PTI Chairman and held a detailed deliberation over the party legal strategy regarding the trial of PTI Chairman in jail on Wednesday.
The participants said that PTI Chairman was being punished and subjected to political revenge for adopting an uncompromising stance on pursuing the Haqeeqi Azadi movement of the nation and saying ‘absolutely not’.
PTI Core Committee said that the secret trial of PTI Chairman in jail clearly indicated that the government was trying to conceal something from the nation.
The participants said that PTI Chairman’s legal team moved the court against the secret trial in the jail, demanding that the honorable court should take up the issue instantly, besides issuing orders to stop the series of worst vindictive action against Imran Khan.
PTI Core Committee urged that the process of political victimization of PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi through the cipher case should also be put to a halt forthwith.
They argued that there was no legal justification for prosecuting the former prime minister and former foreign minister under the Official Secrets Act.
PTI core committee said that the original cipher document was with the Foreign Office, which had been confirmed by former Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah as well as FIA that was enough to prove the allegations unfounded and unjustifiable that the cipher was lost somewhere from the former prime minister.
They asserted that the cipher’s contents were discussed and the then federal cabinet had declassified the cipher, adding that the day the cipher was declassified, it no longer remained an official secret, thus the case automatically died down.
It was said that when the cipher contents became public, it proved that there was interference in the internal affairs of Pakistan. The participants stated that not only the federal cabinet, but the National Security Committee also approved issuance of diplomatic demarche to the US in this regard.
They asked as how could a former Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan be punished for taking a firm stand against blatant interference in Pakistan’s internal affairs.
PTI Core Committee said that this case was a part of the ongoing series of coercive measures and attempts to break the morale of PTI Chairman and crush PTI. However, they vowed that all such attempts to break the resolve and moral of PTI Chairman or to make PTI politically irrelevant would not bear any fruit in any way.
In the meeting, they lauded PTI President Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi’s message sent from jail, who pledged that he was with Imran Khan, is and will be with him till his last breath.
PTI President gave clear instructions to his son Chaudhry Moonis Elahi that he would not be part of any secret agreement.
The PTI Core committee praised highly Pervez Elahi for his courage and determination and adopting a bold and principled stand in this trying time.
In the meeting, they expressed serious concern over the failure of making any major breakthrough in the investigation of the brutal murder of Arshad Sharif.
The participants also strongly denounced the forced disappearance and non-recovery of Imran Riaz for over three months. They demanded that the federal government should immediately complete the investigation of the brutal murder of Arshad Sharif and identify the responsible and expose them before the nation.
The participants emphasized that information regarding Imran Riaz Khan’s recovery and health and safety should be immediately provided to his family in particular and to the nation in general.
In the meeting, the participants eulogized the jailed leaders, workers and especially the women for their determination and courage in the face of the worst state repression.
They requested the Supreme Court to protect the rights of detained workers, especially women by taking practical and effective actions to stop the reign of terror unleashed by the state against PTI supporters.
In the meeting, the illegal and illegal arrest of Sindh PTI President Haleem Adil Sheikh from outside the Sindh High Court was also strongly condemned.
They also demanded immediate recovery and release of the illegally detained or forcibly disappeared political activists including Senator Aon Abbas Buppi, Barrister Hassaan Niazi and Haleem Adil Sheikh.
 Core Committee made it clear that they would not accept the cipher trial against PTI Chairman){kind=link}