FIA summons Shah Mahmood Qureshi over audio leaks on cipher on Nov 1
In a significant development, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Friday called the former foreign minister and vice chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Shah Mahmood Qureshi to testify on cipher audio leaks.
It is important to note that Sohail Mahmood, the former foreign secretary, also came before the investigating team at FIA Headquarters and was questioned about the cipher issue.
According to sources, Shah Mehmood Qureshi received a summons for a hearing on November 1. He has been asked to report to the FIA headquarters at midday, where he will be questioned as part of the continuing investigation into cipher audio leaks.
Cabinet okays legal action
It was earlier reported that the federal cabinet has officially approved taking legal action against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Imran Khan and other party officials in relation to the “cipher” audio leaks.
The cabinet gave the Federal Investigation Agency the go-ahead to look into the “diplomatic cipher” audio leaks, in which former government officials are said to have discussed how they would “play” the cipher issue.
To discuss the events surrounding the tape leaks including the PTI chairman and top party leaders, including General Secretary Asad Umar, then-personal secretary Azam Khan, and Vice Present Shah Mahmood Qureshi, a cabinet committee was established on September 30.
In a meeting conducted yesterday, the committee advised taking legal action, and its recommendations were put to the cabinet for approval in the form of a summary.
The cabinet committee stated in a notification that legal action was “necessary” and that the FIA should form a committee made up of senior officials to investigate the matter. “This is a matter of national security which could have possible adverse effects on the country’s interest,” the cabinet committee added.
According to the committee’s summary, “The FIA team shall take measures against offenders in accordance with the law.”
The recently-discovered audio leak, which allegedly revealed a conversation between Imran Khan, Asad Umar, Azam Khan, and Shah Mahmood Qureshi discussing the much-touted “threat cipher,” has put the former ruling party in the spotlight and ratcheted up the controversy surrounding the steady drip of damning leaks allegedly providing a glimpse of the inside story.
The 1.09-minute audio clip surfaced on social media and supposedly showed a talk between Imran Khan, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Asad Umar, and Azam Khan regarding a strategy to set the stage for a narrative centered on the Cablegate issue.
Leaked audio
Meanwhile, a 1.09-minute audiotape, again from anonymous sources, was posted on social media, apparently exposing a conversation between Imran Khan, his principal secretary Azam Khan, and party leaders Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Asad Umar concerning diplomatic issues.
“Shah jee (Shah Mehmood Qureshi), we have to hold a meeting tomorrow, the three of us and the foreign secretary,” the claimed audio shows the former prime minister stating.
“We’ll ask him [foreign secretary] to draught minutes of the meeting about the letter during that meeting.” Imran Khan may be heard saying, “Azam [Khan] has been urging that we make minutes of the meeting and photostat it.”
The PTI Chairman directed that no Americans’ names be taken. “We are under no obligation to take the names of the Americans. It’s critical for all of you; I don’t want to hear from anyone’s mouth where this letter came from,” he continued.
Meanwhile, former planning minister Asad Umar can be heard adding, “This [cipher] isn’t a letter; it’s a meeting transcript.” “Transcript or letter, they are the same thing,” Imran Khan responded. People will not comprehend what a transcript is.
