PTI Chief admits cipher loss following inquiry at Attock Jail

ISLAMABAD: Leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, has once again acknowledged misplacing the cipher, stating his inability to recall its whereabouts.

In a session of inquiry lasting an hour within the premises of Attock Jail, Khan responded to queries from a three-member panel of the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) Cybercrime Circle. The panel, led by Deputy Director Ayyaz Khan, addressed the missing cipher case, as reported by The News.

Deposed from his role as prime minister following a no-confidence motion in April of the prior year, Khan reportedly engaged cooperatively with the investigative team during the probing, displaying patience throughout. He refuted claims that the document he had brandished at a public gathering the previous year was indeed the lost cipher.

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“I presented cabinet meeting minutes to the public, not the cipher,” the former premier asserted, asserting the distinction.

Sources familiar with the matter disclosed that Khan maintained his right to possess such a document in his capacity as prime minister. However, his rationale for publicly exhibiting it as the cipher remained unaddressed.

Insiders hinted that this investigation session likely marked the conclusion of inquiries into the cipher issue. They revealed intentions for the involved parties to convene in subsequent meetings to reach a consensus.

Anticipated to conclude within the upcoming week, the investigation into the cipher matter is expected to culminate in the submission of a formal charge sheet to a court of law.

Earlier, FIA’s counter terrorism wing registered a case over the cipher, which reportedly went missing from the official record of the Prime Minister’s Office, sources said.

The cipher in question was the same document Mr Khan waved last year in an Islamabad rally days before the ouster of his government, describing it as proof of a US-backed conspiracy to remove him from power because of his stance on Russia.

Web Desk