Azam Khan, ex-principal secretary to the PTI chairman and former prime minister on Wednesday claimed that the former PM used US cypher for his ‘political gains’ and to avert a no-confidence motion against him.
Azam Khan has recorded his statement under CrPC 164 before a magistrate.
Ex-principal secretary confession provides detailed insights into Imran Khan’s alleged strategy to manipulate public opinion and create a narrative against both the establishment and the opposition.
According to Azam Khan’s statement, when he presented the cypher to Imran Khan, the PTI chief displayed enthusiasm and referred to the language used as a “US blunder.” However, instead of treating it as a confidential document, Khan apparently saw an opportunity to exploit its contents for political gain.
The ex-prime minister, as revealed by Azam Khan, suggested utilizing the cypher to divert public attention by highlighting “foreign involvement” in the opposition’s no-confidence motion. Imran Khan allegedly planned to portray the situation as a foreign conspiracy in collaboration with local partners, thereby playing the victim card.
When Azam Khan expressed concern about the secrecy of the document and advised against disclosing its contents to the public, Imran Khan proposed an alternative strategy.
The PTI leader called a meeting that included then-foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and then-foreign secretary Sohail Mahmood. During this meeting, Qureshi and Mahmood were instructed to provide Imran Khan with the minutes of the discussion, as he had conveniently “lost” the original copy of the cable, added Azam.
