LAHORE/NAROWAL: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Vice-president Maryam Nawaz Sharif says Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman Imran Khan is misleading the nation on `missing’ controversial diplomatic cipher.

Ms Sharif, who had criticised her own government in a presser a day ago for giving Imran a ‘leeway’ and not arresting him despite a host of cases pending against him, took to her Twitter account on Sunday and lambasted the former prime minister, alleging that he had not only tampered with the cipher but also `misplaced’ it for fear of being caught.

“When caught red-handed, he says he has lost the cipher,” she said in a tweet.

Highlighting the importance of coded diplomatic communiqué, she said in another tweet that it was not just a piece of paper but an amaanat (trust) of the state of Pakistan.

She demanded that the one who spoiled state interests by showing dishonesty in matters of national trust must be given an exemplary punishment so that no ‘foreign agent’ in the name of politics may dare to damage the country in return for dollars.

Former federal information minister Fawad Chaudhry says that the copy of the cipher meant for the PM House had been sent to the Supreme Court as the coalition government of Pakistan Democratic Movement had reportedly ordered the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to investigate and take legal action over the national security issue.

Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal told media in Narowal on Sunday the PTI chief was was afraid of arrest and jail.

“According to the constitution and law, rallies and processions cannot stop the arrest,” he warned Khan and his followers

He said economic destruction of Pakistan had started in 2017 after the Panama case verdict and “the PDM ousted Imran Khan government to save Pakistan from being destroyed.”

He said the government was doing its best to improve the country’s economy. He said the CPEC was deliberately damaged by Imran and his aides.

The minister asked Imran Niazi to face the law of the land like others. He said the PTI should better take out a long march to raise funds for flood victims of Sindh and Balochistan.

He said the general election would be held on schedule in October 2023.

Published in Dawn, October 3rd, 2022