US again rejects PTI chief's cypher narrative

State dept spokesperson says US does not involve itself with domestic political questions

WASHINGTON DC:

The US State Department has reiterated its earlier stance that claims by former prime minister Imran Khan regarding the diplomatic cypher that he had touted as a US conspiracy behind removal of his government last year, “are completely unfounded”.

During a press briefing on Wednesday, State Department spokesperson Mathew Miller was asked as to why the US doesn’t help out with resolving "this [cypher] whole issue".

To this, the spokesperson replied that the “US does not involve itself with domestic political questions, and we do not take sides on political parties in Pakistan or any other country”.

When asked if he knew that for the sedition charges that Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah is levying on the deposed premier, the minimum punishment is the death sentence, Miller replied “I will take your word for it”.

Read 'Confessional statement' of Azam Khan dubs cypher narrative as conspiracy

Earlier in June, the US State Department had issued a similar response and said that claims by the PTI chief regarding the cypher were not “accurate”.

It is pertinent to note that the comments by Miller come a day after the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) kicked off its probe into the so-called ‘cypher-gate’ scandal, ensnaring former premier Imran into yet another investigation.

The development came as the federal government announced an official inquiry into the 'cypher-gate' case to initiate proceedings against the PTI chairman for violating the Official Secrets Act by making the classified document public.

According to officials, the FIA has issued summons to former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and former finance minister Asad Umar, calling the two senior PTI leaders to the FIA headquarters on July 24.

Read More PTI dismisses Azam Khan's 'confession'

The diplomatic cypher saga plunged into a fresh acrimonious chapter on Wednesday after a purported “confessional statement” attributed to ex-principal secretary Azam Khan – dubbing it a ‘fabrication’ – landed on the political landscape with a thud, prompting the government to seize on what it called a “charge sheet” as the rationale for swift criminal proceedings against the PTI chief.

The alleged “disclosures” from the former bureaucrat – whose whereabouts remain shrouded in mystery – were quickly followed by a presser of Sanaullah, who said the government will open criminal proceedings against Imran Khan on charges of exposing official secrets.