The United States has once again trashed the cypher issue by terming it “completely unfounded”, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
In his daily news briefing in Washington on Wednesday, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller, while referring to recent revelations regarding the cypher, said that the US does not take sides on political parties in Pakistan or any other country.
Matthew Miller was asked to comment on the statement reportedly recorded by Azam Khan, then-principal secretary of Imran Khan, in which he said the former prime minister had allegedly used the diplomatic cypher for his political interest.
Miller replied: ‘‘I don’t know how many times I can respond to this question from the podium and give the same answer, which is that these allegations, such as they are, are completely unfounded.’
The spokesperson was also asked to comment on Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah’s statement that the government would initiate criminal proceedings against Imran Khan on charges of exposing official secrets.
Miller replied: ‘‘I will say, as I have said before, that the US does not involve itself with domestic political questions, and we do not take sides on political parties in Pakistan or any other country.’’
Azam Khan’s statement
On Wednesday, Azam Khan recorded a statement under Section 164 CrPC in which he maintained that Imran used a diplomatic cypher for his alleged political interest by creating a narrative against the establishment and the then opposition.
He said that on March 8, 2022, the foreign secretary approached Azam and informed him about the cypher sent to him at his residence on the same evening.
As per the statement, the foreign secretary informed Azam that former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi had already discussed the cypher with the PTI chairman which Imran confirmed the next day when Azam presented the cypher to him.
According to Azam’s confession, when Imran learned of the cypher, he was “euphoric” and called it a “US blunder.”
Imran also allegedly told Azam that the cypher can be used to divert the general public’s attention towards foreign involvement in a no-confidence motion by the opposition, it says, adding that thereafter, Imran asked Azam to hand over the cypher to him, which he did.
The statement said that the cypher copy was retained by the PTI chief and the next day on March 10, 2022, when he asked for it, Imran Khan replied that he had misplaced it.
Azam Khan claimed that Imran Khan said to him that he will display it in front of the public and “twist the narrative that a foreign conspiracy is being hatched in collusion with local partners and play the victim card.”