Islamabad (Web Desk): Former prime minister Imran Khan's then-principal secretary Azam Khan purportedly "recorded" a statement, terming the US cipher a "conspiracy" used by the ex-PM to "manipulate for creating a narrative to create a false narrative against the military establishment and opposition
According to sources, Azam, who has been "missing" since last month, has recorded his statement under CrPC 164 before a magistrate, the sources added, with no information on his whereabouts.
The PTI chief who was ousted via a parliamentary vote in April last year, had alleged on March 27, 2022, that Washington orchestrated a plan to remove him from office, and brandished the cipher at a public rally to back his claims.
In his confession, Azam claimed that when he shared the cipher with Imran, the former premier was "euphoric" and termed the language as a "US blunder".
According to Azam khan, the PTI chief then said that the cable could be used for "creating a narrative against establishment and opposition".
As per the confessional statement, the former premier also told Azam that the cipher could be used to divert the public's attention towards "foreign involvement" in the opposition's no-confidence motion.
The confession by former PM's principal secretary mentions that Imran Khan told him he would display the cipher 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".
According to Azam Khan’s purported statement, this meeting was held on March 28, 2022, and it was decided that the matter would be placed before the federal cabinet.
This was done two days later on March 30 and a decision was taken that the matter would be tackled by the National Security Committee, which convened on March 31 to discuss the issue.
The former premier's principal secretary told the magistrate that all cyphers received from MOFA are returned to the ministry’s representative in the prime minister’s office but while he held the post of principal secretary the original copy of this cypher remained “lost” as the PTI chief did not return it despite repeated requests.
The PTI chief had accused Washington in March last year of orchestrating a plan to oust him.
He had referred to the cypher in question as evidence for his claims.
The US has been denying such allegations, time and again terming them "categorically false".
Later the same year, the PTI chief also shifted the blame from the United States to previous army chief General (Retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa, saying he wished to mend fences with the former.