Imran Khan, the Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), currently incarcerated in Adiala Jail, has decided to pursue legal action against senior American diplomat Donald Lu in a US court.
The announcement was made by Khan’s sister, Aleema Khan during a press conference following a meeting with the imprisoned PTI leader.
According to Aleema Khan, Imran Khan expressed his intention to file a case against Donald Lu in US courts if he does not receive justice through the Pakistani legal system.
The PTI alleges that the US embassy in Pakistan played a substantial role in a conspiracy to overthrow Khan’s government.
Aleema further revealed that the Islamabad High Court had issued a stay order in the cipher case, introducing clauses that could potentially result in a death sentence or life imprisonment.
She questioned the inclusion of such severe charges and emphasized the party’s demand for justice within the Pakistani judicial system.
Addressing concerns about Imran Khan’s well-being, Aleema shared that her brother is in good health and has established a routine during his confinement.
She also mentioned that there have been no complaints from Imran Khan regarding his food.
The PTI leader and his deputy, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, are currently facing charges related to the cipher case and are detained in Adiala Jail. Initially, a special court was handling the case, but the Islamabad High Court intervened, issuing a stay order on Khan’s appeal.
Consequently, the PTI chief is now held in connection with a case registered against him by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
The cipher controversy unfolded on March 27, 2022, when Imran Khan, prior to his ouster in April 2022, brandished a letter during a public rally, claiming it was a cipher from a foreign nation conspiring with political rivals to overthrow the PTI government. Although he did not disclose the letter’s contents or the nation involved, Khan later accused the United States of plotting against him, specifically implicating Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Affairs Donald Lu.
The cipher reportedly detailed a meeting between former Pakistan ambassador to the US Majeed and Donald Lu. In subsequent developments, the National Security Committee (NSC) issued a demarche to the US for alleged interference, but a meeting convened by then-Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif found no evidence of a foreign conspiracy.
