By Imtiaz Hussain Abro.
Azam Khan tones down statement in cipher case.
ISLAMABAD: The prosecution’s case involving cipher allegations against Imran Khan suffered a significant setback as one of the crucial witnesses, Azam Khan, the former secretary to the ex-prime minister, provided a considerably toned-down version of his earlier statements recorded under sections 161 and 164 of the CrPC before the trial court.
During his statement before the trial court last Thursday, Azam Khan omitted the explosive elements present in the statements he had previously given to the FIA and recorded before a magistrate under sections 161 and 164 of the CrPC, respectively.
While his statement before the trial court acknowledged the missing copy of the cipher after it was handed over to the then-prime minister, it made no mention of the alleged misuse of the confidential document by Imran Khan for political purposes or to target the top military command.
The section from his earlier statements, which formed part of the prosecution’s case as presented to the trial court, but was absent in his testimony as a prosecution witness, stated:
“In my view, PM Imran Khan planned to target the high command of Pakistan Army to pressure them so that they may come forward to rescue him in a no-confidence motion, which was his political gain. The unconstitutional ruling of Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri regarding the cipher was also directed by the then-PM Imran Khan. In fact, Imran Khan played the cipher conspiracy at every level for his political, anti-state motives. Consequently, Imran Khan waved the cipher telegram/document in a public rally held in Islamabad on 27.03.2022, which he had told me that the said cipher given to him was missing. This abuse of a classified secret document for political gain by PM Imran Khan was, in fact, a breach of trust as a public office holder, compromising Pakistan’s foreign policy interest. In my opinion, such action of former PM Imran Khan was to sow seeds of doubt in the minds of Army ranks against their high command, and the former PM Imran Khan used cipher conspiracy to build up his political capital without caring for the sanctity of state institutions, charging his supporters to push for an anti-state agenda and political interest.”
The exclusion of this critical portion from Azam Khan’s earlier statements in his testimony before the trial court has eased the burden on Imran Khan to defend against the alleged misuse of a secret document for political gains and targeting the top military command. According to an FIA source, Azam Khan’s statements before the trial court are likely to favor Imran Khan rather than the prosecution. The source suggested that the former secretary to the prime minister chose to overlook those parts of his earlier statements made before the FIA and the magistrate, which could have been damaging for Imran Khan. Media reports indicate that Imran Khan expressed satisfaction with Azam Khan’s statement before the trial court, and for this reason, the PTI founder chairman commended his former secretary.
