Imran Khan is questioned in Attock Prison over a lost cypher copy: Report

 Imran Khan is questioned in Attock Prison over a lost cypher copy: Report

Imran Khan ReutersThe FIA is looking into the former prime minister for allegedly keeping a confidential diplomatic correspondence in his possession and making it public.

Islamabad: A joint investigation team (JIT) from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) questioned Imran Khan, previously serving as prime minister of Pakistan, inside the Attock prison as part of their inquiry of a case involving the cable gate scandal, according to ARY News on Wednesday.

When the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) Chairman displayed a letter in March of last year, he claimed it was proof of a "international conspiracy" supported by the US to overthrow his government.

After the Lahore High Court (LHC) lifted a stay order against the call-up notice towards Khan by the FIA into the audio leak related to the US diplomatic cable, the investigation agency questioned the deposed prime minister for nearly two hours in the case last month, according to ARY News. Khan was removed from office using a no-confidence motion in April of last year.

According to ARY News, which cited reliable sources, the FIA's Counter-Terrorism Wing earlier today filed a complaint over the "missing cypher" from the Prime Minister's Office's official record and accused Khan in the matter.

They also disclosed that the JIT had questioned Khan in the Attock jail on Tuesday (yesterday). FIA sources state that "The JIT met Khan in the office of the general governor jail."

According to reports last week, the JIT looking into the cypher issue was getting close to its conclusion. 

However, the JIT was obliged to widen the scope of its inquiry to include the problem of the media leak following the most recent release of what is allegedly the content of the secret telegraph document in an online American news site.

According to sources cited by ARY News, the JIT was interested in learning how and who had leaked the contents of the document to the media as well as if the information included in the cypher published by The Intercept is accurate or overstated.

When PTI Chairman's then-principal director Azam Khan "recorded" a statement a few weeks prior, calling the US cypher a "conspiracy" employed by the former PM to "manipulate to create

The cypher problem changed course as a narrative against the establishment and the opposition.

According to sources cited by ARY News, Azam, who had been reported "missing" since June of this year, gave a magistrate his testimony as required under CrPC 164.

Imran did not disclose the letter's contents or identify the country that provided it when making his assertions. However, he mentioned the United States a few days later and said that "Assistant Secretary of State for the regions of South and Central Asia Affairs Donald Lu had sought his removal."

Two audio releases that shocked the public months later followed these incidences and went popular online. 

According to ARY News, the former prime minister, then-federal minister Asad Umar, and Azam were overheard discussing how to exploit the US cypher to their advantage.

The former prime minister is currently incarcerated at Attock Jail after being found guilty by a trial court in Islamabad, Pakistan of keeping the proceeds of Toshakhana (state depository) compensation that he received from foreign dignitaries while serving as the nation's prime minister from 2018 to 2022. 

He was given a PKR 1,000,000 fine and three years in prison by the court. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) deemed him ineligible to hold public office for a term of five years following his conviction.