Missing Azam Khan appears in court, says cypher was a ploy

ISLAMABAD: Azam Khan, the then principal staff officer to former prime minister Imran Khan, appeared before a magistrate in Islamabad after remaining missing for about four weeks, and declared that cypher was a ploy to gain political mileage by his ex boss.

Azam Khan recorded his confessional statement under section 164 of CrPC after he approached the Islamabad police to inform them that he had voluntarily gone into hiding and was in Peshawar.

It may be noted that former prime minister Imran Khan had made it a point that America hatched a conspiracy to remove him from power through the opposition in early 2022.

In his speech on March 27 last year, he displayed a “threat letter,” a diplomatic cypher, which he said was being used to depose his government through a vote of no-confidence.

He repeatedly alleged that an American official even threatened of consequences if he was not removed from power and the minutes of the official’s meeting with Pakistan’s then  ambassador was sent back to Islamabad in a cypher. 

‘Cypher drama’ was created by the former prime minister only to save his government, Azam Khan said in his confessional statement before the magistrate.

Meanwhile, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said the reported confession of ex-principal secretary Azam Khan was a “charge sheet” against PTI chief Imran Khan.