Imran Khan admits he didn’t return cipher to Foreign Office, says FIA challan

In an important development in the cipher case, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan admitted that he did not return the cipher to the Foreign Office, 24NewsHD TV channel reported Wednesday citing a challan prepared by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

A copy of the challan has been obtained by 24NewsHD TV channel which states that the cipher was required to be returned to the Foreign Office under the rules.

The challan said that the cipher had been given to former principal secretary to the prime minister Azam Khan on the instructions of ex-foreign secretary Asad Majeed.

It stated that three officers of the Foreign Office had submitted their testimonies about not receiving the cipher, adding that the accused had put national security at stake by illegally keeping the cipher with them.

The challan also stated that Pakistan’s foreign relations had been damaged by the illegal move, adding that PTI Chairman Imran Khan and Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi were the accused under Sections 5 and 9 of the Official Secrets Act.

The challan also mentions Azam Khan’s role and his statement. It also mentions the criminal act of the PTI chairman and the damage caused by it.

Azam Khan stated that the PTI chairman had said to use the cipher after reading it.

“This [cipher] will be used against the no-confidence motion. We’ll use the cipher against the opposition,” Azam Khan narrated the PTI chairman’s words.

He also said that the PTI chairman had accused the US of hatching the cipher conspiracy with the opposition.

“He [the PTI chairman] kept a copy of the cipher with him. The next day, when asked to return the cipher, he said the cipher was lost. It was surprising when a copy of the cipher was waved in a rally on March 27,” Azam Khan said.

It is to be noted here that after Azam Khan, former foreign secretary Asad Majeed has also become an approver against the PTI chairman in the cipher case.

Also Read: Azam Khan’s statement against Imran Khan regarding Cypher Case surfaces

Asad Majeed, in his statement, said that he had not met former prime minister Imran Khan since March 7, nor had he had any direct or indirect conversation with him since then.

He also stated that he had not met or talked to former principal secretary to the prime minister Azam Khan.

Asad Majeed said in a statement that Assistant Secretary US Department Donald Lu had been invited on March 7, adding that a meeting at Pakistan House in Washington was already scheduled at the lunch.

He further said that the cipher issue had damaged the reputation of our diplomats.

Ex-foreign secy Sohail Mehmood testifies in US cipher case

At a time when the government is tightening its noose around former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan in the US cipher case, yet another official connected to the case has given his statement which is likely to make things worse for the cricketer-turned- politician.

Former foreign secretary Sohail Mehmood has said that the government of Pakistan received the cipher on March 7, 2022. “It was 20 days later on March 27 that the former prime minister waved it in front of PTI’s public gathering in Islamabad,” he said, adding, “And the very next day on March 28, I was asked to read it at Imran’s Bani Gala residence and then it was made part of the meeting minutes.”

Ex-secretary opined that no cipher could be declassified because that badly affects cipher security system. “Still the former prime minister asked us to declassify the telegram at the federal cabinet’s meeting held on April 8,” he said, adding, “But it could not be declassified because I, secretary cabinet division and the secretary law strongly opposed it.” 

But Imran, Mehmood added, on his last day in office on April 9, again convened the cabinet meeting at which the cipher was at last declassified. 

According to the former secretary, Asad Umar, PTI leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Azam Khan were also present at the meeting. “Later copies of the letter were sent to the president, chief justice, National Assembly speaker and Senate chairman,” he said, and added, “The US chargé d'affaires asked me to send a copy of the cipher which Imran had waved it in front of a crowd.” 

Mehmood went on to say that on the other hand, DG US Desk Faisal Tirmazi had said that the embassy official then went to the USA with a copy of the letter. “After returning from the USA, the charge d’affaires told us that the USA did not like at all disclosing contents of the letter by Imran in front of a crowd,” he concluded.

 

Reporter Tayyab Saif