Former principal secretary Azam Khan appeared on Wednesday morning before a court and recorded a statement in which he confirmed that former prime minister Imran Khan had used a cipher, sent by Pakistan's ambassador to the US over a threat by a mid-level diplomat, for political purposes against the vote of no-confidence moved by the opposition.
Azam Khan, who had been reported as missing from his home in Islamabad on June 15 and an FIR for his abduction was registered at the Kohsar Police Station by the Islamabad Police on June 16, suddenly appeared in a court on Wednesday and recorded a statement.
Where was Azam Khan
In his statement, Azam explained where he had been for the past month. His disappearance had prompted his family to lodge an FIR in Islamabad for his abduction.
Azam, however, said that the had travelled to Peshawar and was staying with a close friend of his free will.
He added that he was under severe pressure over his role in the disappearance of an official encrypted document from the Prime Minister's Office during his tenure, but said that he was not at fault for its disappearance.
Azam said that he will now approach the police for cancelling the FIR of his abduction
He added that he has voluntarily recorded his statement under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Court before a Maigstrate First Class in Islamabad.
What has Azam Khan told the court
Azam stated in his statement that on March 8, 2022, about a month before the vote of no confidence was held, the Federal Foreign Secretary approached him and informed him about the cipher, which had been communicated from Washington. The cipher was later sent to him at his residence the same evening.
READ MORE: Could Azam Khan Testify Against Former Boss Imran Khan?
The former principal secretary said the foreign secretary had relayed that then-Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi had already discussed the cipher with then-prime minister Imran Khan.
When Azam presented the cipher to Imran the next day, the prime minister confirmed his knowledge of the document.
Azam further stated that upon seeing the cipher, Imran was euphoric and termed the language contained was a blunder by the US. Further, Azam said that Imran was upbeat that the cipher could now be manipulated to create a narrative against the establishment and opposition who had moved a vote of no-confidence against him in parliament.
Azam said that Imran told him that the cipher could be used to divert the attention of the general public towards foreign involvement in the opposition's move.
The principal secretary said that Imran then asked him to hand over the cipher to him, which he did. There are regulations for handing over encrypted documentation.
When Azam asked for the copy of the cipher the next day (March 10, 2022), Imran replied that he did not know where it was and had probably misplaced it.
READ MORE: ‘Play’ On Foreign Conspiracy Cypher, Imran Tells Top Bureaucrat In Leaked Audio
Azam confessed that Imran told him he would display it before the public and use it to create a narrative that a foreign conspiracy was being hatched in collusion with local partners to oust him and play the victim card.
At this, Azam said that the cipher was a secret coded document with certain legal conditions attached and that its contents could not be disclosed. Thereafter, Azam suggested a formal meeting with the foreign minister and foreign secretary where they can read the cipher from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs copy (as Imran had yet to find his original copy) and that from minutes of the meeting, further decisions can be made.
On March 28, 2022, a meeting was held at Imran's palatial Islamabad mansion in Banigala, where the foreign secretary read out the cipher from the master copy of MOFA. All discussions and decisions of the meeting were recorded. Azam further said it was decided to place the matter before the federal cabinet.
On March 30, 2022, in a special meeting of the cabinet on the matter, a representative of the Foreign Office once again read out the cipher and briefed the cabinet. This meeting was also recorded. It was decided in the cabinet meeting to present the matter before the National Security Committee (NSC) the next day.
The process was again repeated before the NSC and this time the National Security Division recorded the meeting and its decisions.
READ MORE: Security Breach: IB To Investigate Foreign Hand In PM House Audio Leaks
Azam said that all ciphers received from the Foreign Office are returned to the FO's representative stationed in the Prime Minister's Office. He added that for the duration he remained in the principal secretary's office the cipher, which he had given to Imran and which was then claimed to be lost, was not found.
At this juncture it is important to recall that On September 28, 2022, the audio of a conversation between Imran Khan and Azam Khan and then between Imran, Azam and some cabinet members was leaked in which he had advised using the document to 'play' with a twisted narrative where the vote of no-confidence is termed a foreign conspiracy against Imran's government without naming the US.
Subsequently, the federal cabinet had formed an inquiry committee on the issue of audio leaks and to trace the missing document.
Azam Khan, who had been reported as missing from his home in Islamabad on June 15 and an FIR for his abduction was registered at the Kohsar Police Station by the Islamabad Police on June 16, suddenly appeared in a court on Wednesday and recorded a statement.
Where was Azam Khan
In his statement, Azam explained where he had been for the past month. His disappearance had prompted his family to lodge an FIR in Islamabad for his abduction.
Azam, however, said that the had travelled to Peshawar and was staying with a close friend of his free will.
He added that he was under severe pressure over his role in the disappearance of an official encrypted document from the Prime Minister's Office during his tenure, but said that he was not at fault for its disappearance.
Azam said that he will now approach the police for cancelling the FIR of his abduction
He added that he has voluntarily recorded his statement under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Court before a Maigstrate First Class in Islamabad.
What has Azam Khan told the court
Azam stated in his statement that on March 8, 2022, about a month before the vote of no confidence was held, the Federal Foreign Secretary approached him and informed him about the cipher, which had been communicated from Washington. The cipher was later sent to him at his residence the same evening.
READ MORE: Could Azam Khan Testify Against Former Boss Imran Khan?
The former principal secretary said the foreign secretary had relayed that then-Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi had already discussed the cipher with then-prime minister Imran Khan.
When Azam presented the cipher to Imran the next day, the prime minister confirmed his knowledge of the document.
Azam further stated that upon seeing the cipher, Imran was euphoric and termed the language contained was a blunder by the US. Further, Azam said that Imran was upbeat that the cipher could now be manipulated to create a narrative against the establishment and opposition who had moved a vote of no-confidence against him in parliament.
Azam said that Imran told him that the cipher could be used to divert the attention of the general public towards foreign involvement in the opposition's move.
The principal secretary said that Imran then asked him to hand over the cipher to him, which he did. There are regulations for handing over encrypted documentation.
When Azam asked for the copy of the cipher the next day (March 10, 2022), Imran replied that he did not know where it was and had probably misplaced it.
READ MORE: ‘Play’ On Foreign Conspiracy Cypher, Imran Tells Top Bureaucrat In Leaked Audio
Azam confessed that Imran told him he would display it before the public and use it to create a narrative that a foreign conspiracy was being hatched in collusion with local partners to oust him and play the victim card.
At this, Azam said that the cipher was a secret coded document with certain legal conditions attached and that its contents could not be disclosed. Thereafter, Azam suggested a formal meeting with the foreign minister and foreign secretary where they can read the cipher from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs copy (as Imran had yet to find his original copy) and that from minutes of the meeting, further decisions can be made.
On March 28, 2022, a meeting was held at Imran's palatial Islamabad mansion in Banigala, where the foreign secretary read out the cipher from the master copy of MOFA. All discussions and decisions of the meeting were recorded. Azam further said it was decided to place the matter before the federal cabinet.
On March 30, 2022, in a special meeting of the cabinet on the matter, a representative of the Foreign Office once again read out the cipher and briefed the cabinet. This meeting was also recorded. It was decided in the cabinet meeting to present the matter before the National Security Committee (NSC) the next day.
The process was again repeated before the NSC and this time the National Security Division recorded the meeting and its decisions.
READ MORE: Security Breach: IB To Investigate Foreign Hand In PM House Audio Leaks
Azam said that all ciphers received from the Foreign Office are returned to the FO's representative stationed in the Prime Minister's Office. He added that for the duration he remained in the principal secretary's office the cipher, which he had given to Imran and which was then claimed to be lost, was not found.
At this juncture it is important to recall that On September 28, 2022, the audio of a conversation between Imran Khan and Azam Khan and then between Imran, Azam and some cabinet members was leaked in which he had advised using the document to 'play' with a twisted narrative where the vote of no-confidence is termed a foreign conspiracy against Imran's government without naming the US.
Subsequently, the federal cabinet had formed an inquiry committee on the issue of audio leaks and to trace the missing document.