By Asghar Ali Mubarak
ISLAMABAD: The issue of secret diplomatic Cable that was at the center of controversy ahead of no-confidence vote against former Prime Minister Imran Khan is once again at the limelight when a PTI leader claimed that ‘Cipher’ was initially withheld from Imran and then Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi.
Shahbaz Gill, PTI Chairman’s Chief of Staff, told reporters outside the Supreme Court on Tuesday that he was told by the former Foreign Minister that the diplomatic Cable was kept hidden from him and Imran Khan.
He said that the diplomatic cypher was with ‘powerful quarters’ and Qureshi on finding out about the cypher had said, “Why it was not shared with me?”
The foreign office, however, dismissed the claim terming it “entirely baseless” that the Cypher Communication received from the Embassy in Washington was ‘hidden’ from the Foreign Minister or Prime Minister.
“Such a question simply does not arise. The Foreign Office operates on a professional basis and it would be detrimental to cast aspersions on its working,” the foreign office spokesperson said in a statement.
The issue of diplomatic cable and alleged US conspiracy was twice discussed by the country’s high-powered National Security Committee (NSC) once when Imran was still the Prime Minister and second time when he was ousted from power.
In both those closed door meetings, the military leadership stated categorically that there was no evidence of US conspiracy. But Imran insisted that the NSC admitted that there was “interference”, something according to him warranted a thorough probe.
