By Special Correspondent
ISLAMABAD: Vice chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Shah Mahmood Qureshi and former PTI leader Asad Umar will appear before a Federal Investigation Agency (FIA)-led joint inquiry team (JIT) today (Monday).
The panel is probing into the cipher scandal. Qureshi, who served as the country’s foreign minister during the party’s government between August 2018 to April 2022, will appear before the team at 11 am at the FIA’s headquarters here.
Asad Umar, who served as the PTI secretary-general till May 24 before stepping down from the position in the wake of a crackdown against the former ruling party, will appear before the team at 12 noon.
The JIT has also summoned PTI Chief Imran Khan to appear before the panel on Tuesday at 12 noon.
The JIT is carrying out investigation into the matter on the direction of the cabinet which alleged that former premier Imran Khan, his associates and his former principal secretary compromised the national security and interest of the state by directly revealing classified information — a diplomatic cipher —without proper authorization.
It also accused them of unauthorized retention and misuse of the cipher telegram.
On March 27, 2022, ahead of a vote of no-trust that resulted in his ouster, Imran Khan pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket and waved it at the crowd attending a massive public rally in Islamabad, claiming it was evidence of an “international conspiracy” being hatched to topple his government.
Addressing the nation on March 31 last year, Khan discussed the “threat letter” that purportedly showed “evidence” of a foreign conspiracy to oust his government.
Then, in what seemed to be a slip of the tongue, he named the US as the country behind the threat.
Khan claimed that it was an “official letter that was communicated to Pakistan’s ambassador, who was taking notes during the meeting.”
On July 19, former prime minister Khan’s then-principal secretary Azam Khan allegedly gave testimony before a magistrate, saying the former PM termed the cipher a US “conspiracy” for “creating a narrative against establishment and opposition.”
