FIA to arrest PTI chairman if not appeared in cypher case: Sanaullah

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said that Federal Investigation Authority (FIA) to arrest the PTI chairman and former prime minister if he did not appear in the cypher case, ARY News reported.

As per details, the interior minister said that none other than PM Shehbaz Sharif knows the date of assembly dissolution and he doesn’t need to consult others on this matter. Elections can be held in 70 days too instead of 90 days, he added.

Rana Sanaullah said that FIA will conduct an inquiry on Azam Khan’s statement regarding the cypher and notices have been issued to the PTI chief and others.

He maintained that FIA hold the authority to arrest the accused if they did not appear before the investigation authority in cypher case and FIA will decide the nature of cases registered against the PTI chief, he added.

The interior minister claimed that Azam Khan, ex-principal secretary of the former prime minister signed his statement after reading it thoroughly. Azam said that he was at his friend’s residence in Peshawar and was in contact with his family members, Rana Sana added.

Rana Sanaullah further said that the PTI leader and former foreign minister is also the ‘cypher drama’. He said that Azam had confessed that whatever happened could have been avoided.

Earlier today, Federal Investigation Authority (FIA) Counter Terrorism Wing also summoned Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former prime minister in cypher case. the PTI chief is summoned to the FIA Islamabad Headquarters on July 25 in the cypher case.

It is pertinent to mention that Azam Khan, ex-principal secretary to the PTI chairman and former prime minister made startling revelations and claimed that the former PM used US cypher for his ‘political gains’ and to avert a no-confidence motion against him.

Khan, who had earlier been “missing” since last month, suddenly appeared before the scene and made startling revelations about US cypher, while recording his statement under the CrPC 164 before a magistrate.

Reacting to Azam Khan’s statement, the PTI chairman and former prime minister said that he will not comment on the matter until the complete information comes out. He said that it’s not known yet in what circumstances Azam Khan made these statements.

However, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah asserted that the confessional statement of ex-principal secretary Azam Khan was a ‘charge sheet’ against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan and the latter should be punished for anti-state ‘cypher drama’.