—— Law Minister says negligence in handling secret document contains 2-year sentence
—— Reveals former PM took away Cypher and never returned
—— Azam Tarar says FIA probing matter, summons Imran Khan on 25th
—— Interior Minister too hints at Imran’s arrest, says FIA might raid Khan if he fails to cooperate with Cipher investigation
ISLAMABAD: Referring to ex-principal secretary Azam Khan’s confessional statement against former prime minister Imran Khan, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said on Thursday that an accused can be sentenced to up to 14 years in jail for using classified documents for vested interest.
A day earlier, the former principal secretary, who had been “missing” since last month, recorded his statement under CrPC 164 before a magistrate claiming that the former PM used a diplomatic cypher to concoct a false narrative against the establishment and opposition.
In his confessional statement, Azam claimed that when he shared the cypher with Imran, the former premier was “euphoric” and termed the language as a “US blunder”.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad yesterday, the law minister said showing “criminal negligence” in handling confidential documents can land an official in prison for up to two years.
However, the law minister said if the cypher was made public and its contents were leaked for vested interest then an accused can be sentenced to up to 14 years.
“Sharing or making public classified document for vested interest or if it is prejudicial to the national interest than a category for [sentence] is 14 years,” he added.
Imran, who was ousted via a parliamentary vote in April last year, had alleged on March 27, 2022, that Washington orchestrated a plan to remove him from office — and brandished the cypher sent by Pakistan envoy to Washington at a public rally to back his claims. The US has time and again denied such allegations, terming them “categorically false”.
In yesterday’s presser, the law minister claimed that the former PM had taken away the cypher with him and never returned. He said the federal government had referred the cypher scandal to Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) but the PTI chief had secured the court’s stay order on it.
Tarar said the FIA has now summoned the PTI leaders including Imran to join the investigation on July 25 and added that the federal agency would decide whether to convert the ongoing probe into a criminal investigation.
Besides, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah also stated that FIA might arrest former prime minister Imran Khan if he fails to cooperate with their investigation into the cipher.
Sanaullah had on Wednesday also held a press conference to lend credence to the confessional statement circulating on social media and assail the PTI chief.
Yesterday, the interior minister provided an update on the FIA investigation, issuing a reminder to the former premier to be prepared to face the law.
“The FIA has summoned the PTI chairman in the cipher investigation. If he does not cooperate during the inquiry stage, he could face possible arrest. Following the investigation, the FIA will make recommendations based on evidence regarding those who are complicit and against whom criminal cases should be filed,” the minister stated on Twitter.
After the statement went public, the interior minister had termed the narrative behind the cipher ‘fabricated’. He claimed that Imran Khan committed a crime and ex-foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi was an “abettor”.
The interior minister had xplained that since the cipher was a confidential document, its disclosure was unlawful and a crime. “This case is similar to the proceedings initiated against former US President Donald Trump for mishandling classified documents,” he added.
The minister further alleged that while “Imran told Azam that the cipher had gone missing, my assessment is that he (Imran) still has it”.
Asked whether this case would also be referred to a ‘special court’ as others being conducted under the Official Secrets Act, he replied in the affirmative. –Agencies
