Cipher saga: PTI says The Intercept story strengthens Imran Khan's stance

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Thursday asserted that the contents of the US cipher bolsters party chief Imran Khan's narrative that his government was ousted under American pressure following his Russia visit in February 2022.

The party's statement came after a foreign media outlet, The Intercept, published a report about the secret document which has been at the centre of controversy since March last year.

In a statement on micro-blogging platform X, previously known as Twitter, the party said the then National Security Committee (NSC), chaired by former premier Khan, also rejected the contents of the cipher as intervention in Pakistan’s internal affairs. Later, the NSC meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also endorsed the previous NSC meeting decisions.

However, the party laments, “The ruling group denied the existence of the cipher, sometimes calling it meaningless and worthless. Another folly was committed by trying to blame the PTI Chairman for bringing the cipher to the fore.”

“It is necessary that the discussion and criticism on this secret post should be kept in its proper context,” the PTI added.

It should be admitted that in fact there was interference in the internal affairs of Pakistan, the PTI said and added that interference in Pakistan’s internal matters resulted in no-confidence motion against then Prime Minister Imran Khan.

A day earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif once again rejected his predecessor's claims about his government’s removal under a US backed “conspiracy”, asking that if the same was true, would Pakistan have bought cheaper oil from Russia.

The premier's statement came in response to a foreign news organisation's report on the US cipher which claimed to substantiate former prime minister Imran Khan's allegations that he was removed under American pressure after his Russia visit.

Similarly, Senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Rana Sanaullah said there was nothing new in a foreign media outlet's story about the US cipher, which claimed to substantiate PTI chief's allegations.

"Though there is nothing new in this story, the investigation needs to held to establish the authenticity of the information or source document," he said.