Ex-PM's aide says Imran took cipher copy, later said he lost it

• Azam takes oath by placing his hand on Holy Quran.
• Special Court Judge Abual Hasnat conducts hearing.
• Cipher read out in Bani Gala meeting, ex-PM aide says.

RAWALPINDI: The former principal secretary to the then prime minister Imran Khan, Azam Khan on Thursday told a court that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder kept a copy of the contentious cipher and later said it had gone missing.

Recording his statement in the cipher case before a special court in Rawalpindi, Azam took an oath by placing his hand on the Holy Quran and kissing it. Special Court Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain conducted hearing of the case in Adiala Jail.

Five witnesses named Anis-ur-Rehman, Javed Iqbal, Hadayat Ullah Muhammad Ashfaq and Azam testified before the court in cipher case in Adiala Jail. The court adjourned the hearing till January 22.

The former principal secretary said that he received the cipher copy from his staff in March 2022, which he handed over to the then PM. He said the premier retained a copy of the cipher and later said it had gone missing.

Azam said that the master copy of the cipher was with the foreign ministry and a meeting was held in Bani Gala where the contents of the copy were read out. It was then decided to present the cipher to the federal cabinet. The cabinet referred the matter to the National Security Committee to determine the appropriate response to the US. In the National Security Committee meeting, a decision was reached to issue a demarche to the concerned country for interfering in Pakistan’s internal affairs, Azam Khan said in his statement.

Furthermore, he said that the tradition of returning the cipher copy to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was not fulfilled during his tenure. He indicated that he informed Imran, his military secretary, and relevant staff multiple times that the copy of the cipher had not been returned. Thereafter, the military secretary, ADC, and staff were tasked with addressing the issue, he added.