US Stops Communication with Pakistan After Imran Khan’s Encryption Mistake
Published on: October 20, 2023.
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Pakistan-US Communications Halted After Imran Khan’s Cipher Fiasco
Communications between United States officials and their Pakistani counterparts came to a halt following former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s cipher incident, according to a senior diplomat. The incident took place on March 27 last year when Khan brandished a piece of paper during a public rally, claiming it to be a copy of a cipher and accusing the US of plotting against him. Faisal Tirmzi, who was the Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the time, revealed the information during an interview with the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) as part of their investigation into the cipher case.
Tirmzi, who is currently serving as the Ambassador of Pakistan to the UAE, stated that the US had stopped communications with Pakistan and written a request to share the alleged cipher. The US officials emphasized that they would not engage in candid discussions if private conversations were made public. As a result, the Foreign Office issued an advisory to Khan and the former foreign minister, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, warning them about the consequences of utilizing diplomatic cables for political purposes.
The case surrounding the cipher incident led to Imran Khan being imprisoned for leaking the contents of the diplomatic cable. A case was filed against him on August 18 under the Official Secrets Act 1923. Azam Khan, Khan’s former Principal Secretary, revealed during his interview with FIA officials that the ex-premier had sought military assistance to counter a potential no-confidence motion. Azam Khan believes that Khan intended to put pressure on the military leadership and secure their support to thwart the bid against him.
Source: MENAFN
