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ISLAMABAD:
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 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 in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail since September 2023, regularly posts on social media – particularly on X to criticize the government and state institutions.
According to the agency, NCCIA teams visited the PTI founder several times in Adiala jail – in connection with an earlier case registered against Imran on September 13, 2024 for allegedly publishing anti-state posts – with the court’s permission.
“[However]he [Imran Khan] did not cooperate and did not disclose who uses and operates his social media accounts,” the report said.
The NCCIA stated that it has already registered inquiries against the former prime minister in connection with controversial posts.
On 21 January, the IHC, while hearing the petition seeking closure of Imran’s social media accounts, noted that it could proceed only if the authorities allowed the PTI founder’s lawyer in the case, Salman Akram Raja, to meet his client in jail.
An IHC bench headed by Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir also sought a written response from Islamabad’s attorney general in a contempt of court petition filed by Raja over authorities’ failure to arrange his meeting with Imran despite a court order.
During the hearing, Justice Tahir also termed the response of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) as unsatisfactory.
He noted that replies had been received from the prison authorities, the PTA and other respondents, but noted that the PTA’s reply 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 on the case, despite a court order dated November 4 allowing a legal meeting.
The court noted that final arguments in the X account case would be heard on February 24, assuming the meeting was arranged.
The government counsel argued that cases related to meetings with prisoners fall under the jurisdiction of a larger bench. However, Justice Tahir observed that the case could not proceed unless the petitioner’s lawyer was allowed to meet his client.
