ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet on Sunday gave go-ahead to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to start an investigation into Prime Minister House audio leaks, where PTI leaders purportedly were talking about the diplomatic cipher that the former ruling party claims as a piece of evidence for “regime change”.

The cabinet has directed the FIA to begin legal action against former prime minister Imran Khan, Asad Umar, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, and the-then Principal Secretary Azam Khan – the four people who were having a conversation in the second bit of the audio leak.

This comes after a new audio was leaked on social media on Friday. PTI chief Imran Khan was clearly told in March that the cipher he wanted to use to advance his political narrative was a transcript of a meeting and not a letter, a leaked audio clip indicates.

Read: Cabinet learns cipher ‘stolen’ from diplomatic record after ‘forgery’

The discussion appeared to revolve around a meeting between US Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu and then-Pakistan Ambassador in Washington Asad Majeed.

In an audio clip leaked to social media on Friday, Azam Khan is heard saying that the letter was received on [March] 8-9. A voice in the background says it was received on the 8th.

“It is a matter of national security, which is/was prejudicial to the national interest and needs legal action,” said the Cabinet Division documents, which Aaj News has seen.

“Therefore, the apex investigation agency (FIA) may be directed to inquire into the matter by constituting a team of senior officers, which may co-opt officers/officials from other intelligence agencies for the purpose, and to proceed further again the perpetrators in accordance with the law.”

The cabinet had formed a committee on the audio leak on September 30. The FIA would determine the legal action to be taken against all those involved. The approval was given through a circulation summary.

Read: PTI moves SC for judicial investigation into PMO audio leaks

“The cabinet committee will consist of the representatives of the coalition parties in the government, along with ministers,” it had said.

“It is requested that requisite action[s] to implement the decision[s], under rule 24 of the Rules of Business 1973, in coordination with other Divisions, where necessary, may please be initiated immediately,” said the memorandum.

It added that an implementation report may be furnished to the Cabinet Division, “immediately”.

Shaukat Paracha, Aaj News anchor, was of the view that a case was being made against Imran for playing politics on national issues.

Sheikh Rashid, the former interior minister, told Aaj News that the government has “gone mad”.

Rashid, who is famous for his political prophecies, said that the most important month of October has started. He was of the view that the situation would only benefit Imran.

“Court proceedings will be held on National Accountability Bureau amendments on October 4 and important decisions will be taken till November 15,” he said.

PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry welcomed the government’s intention to probe into the ‘cipher’, however, he advised that the Supreme Court should make a commission rather than the FIA in order to ascertain the facts.