Reported confession of Azam Khan, the ex-principal secretary of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, has become a significant “charge sheet” against the PTI (Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf) chief in a “cipher” controversy.
The alleged confession, which surfaced on social media, refutes Imran Khan’s long-standing claim of a “foreign conspiracy” behind his ouster from the top office.
Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah held a press conference in Islamabad, where he stated that Azam Khan’s statement was a “charge sheet against Imran Khan Niazi.”
He accused Imran of conspiring against the country and its institutions for personal and political gain, which led to economic crises and damaged foreign ties.
Sanaullah claimed that Imran had committed a crime by making the classified document (cipher) public and then retaining it, which was legally unacceptable.
He asserted that the Official Secrets Act should be applied in this case, and a special court would handle the matter.
He clarified that action would be limited to Imran, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, and other political associates possibly involved in the matter, excluding the former foreign secretary and Azam Khan from any charges.
According to the alleged confession attributed to Azam Khan, Imran Khan was ecstatic when he saw the cipher and suggested manipulating it to create a narrative against the establishment and opposition, thus diverting public attention from a no-confidence motion he faced as the Prime Minister.
Azam claimed he handed over the cipher to Imran, who subsequently claimed to have misplaced it and did not return it despite repeated requests.
The PTI stood firm on the existence of the cipher, with Imran Khan dismissing the alleged confession, praising Azam Khan as an “honest man,” and awaiting his statement on the matter.
