FIA against summons PTI Chairman in ‘cipher conspiracy’ case on August 1 at 12:00 PM
ISLAMABAD, July 26 (SABAH): The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) summoned on Wednesday the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan again in the “cipher conspiracy” case.
The PTI chief was summoned on August 1. The deposed premier was asked to appear before the JIT with the relevant documents.
The PTI chairman’s summons notice was sent to his residence at Bani Gala in Islamabad.
The notice has been sent to Imran Ahmed Khan Niazi by Office of the Deputy Director Counter Terrorism Wig, Federal Investigation Agency, Headquarters, G-9/4, Islamabad, on Wednesday.
It is has been written in the notice: The Joint Enquiry Team is conducting the subject Enquiry on the direction of the Federal Cabient regarding the charges of prejudicing the national security and interest of the State by directly revealing, without proper authorization, the classified information by the former Prime Minister, Mr, Imran Khan, his political associated, and the then Secretary to the Prime Minister through Cypher telegram, its subsequent misuse, and unauthorized retention.
The notice further states that as per the information/evidence available with the Joint Enquiry Team, you being the former Prime minister of Pakistan is cognizant of facts pertaining to this probe, You have jointed enquiry proceedings on 25-07-2023 and recorded your statement. On examination of your statement, available record and statement of others, there are some follow up questions/issues which require to be explained in order to firm up findings of the JIT.
The notice further states that therefore, you are once again noticed to appear (in person), on Tuesday, 001, August 2023, at 12:00 hours, at FIA Headquarters, G-9/4, Islamabad without fail, before the Joint Enquiry Team and bring along all information/documents (believed to be within your custody/domain) with respect to the Cypher telegram.
The notice further states that you may be required to answer such questions as may be put to your, pertaining to the probe, truthfully and honestly. You are further requested to bring along any/all-documentary evidence in support of your claim pertaining to the aforementioned matter.
The notice further states that a failure to comply with this legal notice may entail that you have nothing to say in your defense and ex-parte action will be initiated on the basis of evidence available on record. The notice has been sent to Imran Khan by Assistant Director Mian Sabir Hussain on behalf of the Joint Enquiry Team.
Last week, the FIA summoned the PTI chief on July 25 in “cipher conspiracy” case. The FIA had summoned the deposed premier at the FIA headquarters with all relevant documents.
“If the PTI chief will not appear before the agency, the action will be taken against him,” said the FIA notice.
The development came after the then-principal secretary of the former prime minister, Azam Khan, recorded a statement in which he called the ex-premier’s use of the US cipher a “conspiracy” to “manipulate for creating a narrative against the state institutions.”
Separately, the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) on Wednesday turned down a petition filed by the PTI chairman, seeking an order to restrain trial in the Toshakhana case. A two-member bench, headed by Justice Yahya Afridi, also sent the case back to the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to re-examine it.