The copy of the cipher was not sent back until I left charge, the former principal secretary told the court
Founder PTI's former Principal Secretary Azam Khan gave a statement in court on the request of PTI founder Imran Khan by placing his hand on the Quran. According to media reports, the hearing of the cipher case was held in Adiala Jail, in which Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf founder chairman Imran Khan demanded from the court that before recording the statement of former principal secretary Azam Khan, he should take oath by placing his hand on the Holy Quran.
The court expressed its indignation at the written application made by the lawyers of Imran Khan and said that we are Muslims, we are going to read the Holy Quran and follow it. Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain remarked that you do not need to apply, we have ordered the Holy Quran.
Former Prime Minister Imran Khan's Principal Secretary Azam Khan took the oath by placing his hand on the Holy Quran before recording the statement and kissed it while recording the statement.
A copy of the cipher was not sent back until I left the charge. According to tradition, a copy of the cipher is sent back to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This was not done in this case. Informed PM, MS and staff several times for not sending back the copy of the cipher. My statements 161 and 164 were not recorded on oath. Azam Khan said that the Foreign Secretary called and informed about the cipher telegram.
Former Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi had discussed the cipher with Prime Minister Imran Khan before me. Azam Khan gave a statement and said that on March 2022, my staff provided the cipher copy to me. I took the cipher copy and gave it to Prime Minister Imran Khan the next day. The Prime Minister said that the Foreign Minister has discussed this issue. The prime minister took the cipher copy from me, it mentioned our ambassador's meetings with the US mission.
The former Principal Secretary said that the Prime Minister said that the American authorities had interfered in Pakistan's internal affairs by sending ciphers. The Prime Minister said that this message seems to be for internal actors that the opposition should change the elected government and bring no confidence against us. A copy of the cipher was kept by the Prime Minister and was not found later. While giving a statement, he said that former Prime Minister Imran Khan asked the Military Secretary, ADC and other staff to look into the matter.
He asked to take people into confidence on the cipher issue, I suggested a formal meeting with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and asked that the Foreign Secretary should read out the message from Master Cipher. He said that the Foreign Secretary read out the cipher in the Bani Gala meeting. In the meeting, it was decided that the cipher issue should be placed before the federal cabinet. In the federal cabinet meeting, it was decided to place the matter before the National Security Committee. Azam Khan said in his statement that the National Security Committee decided to issue a demarche to the concerned country for interfering in the internal affairs.