The Joint Investigation Team of the Federal Investigation Authority has summoned PTI Chairman Imran Khan to appear on July 25 at FIA headquarters in the cipher case.

“The Joint Investigation Team is conducting the subject Enquiry on the direction of the Federal Cabinet regarding the charges of prejudicing the national security and interest of the State by directly revealing, without proper authorization, the classified information by the former Prime Minister, Mr. Imran Khan, his political associates, and the then Secretary to the Prime Minister through Cypher telegram, its subsequent misuse, and unauthorized retention,” a copy of the summon, available with Aaj News, stated.

The notice was issued to Khan at his residence in Zaman Park, Lahore and Bani Gala in Islamabad.

The summoned further added that the former prime minister did not comply with the earlier two notices and did not appear before the JIT.

The team directed the PTI chairman to bring all “information/documents (believed to be within your custody/ domain) with respect to the Cypher telegram.

“A failure to comply with this legal notice may entail that you have nothing to say in your defense and ex-parte action will be initiated on the basis of evidence available on record.

The JIT also summoned PTI’s Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Asad Umar on July 24 in the case regarding the cipher controversy.

The team directed both PTI leaders to bring all the relevant documents and evidence in this regard.

It is pertinent to mention that Khan’s former Principal Secretary Azam Khan turned witness against the former prime minister and filed a statement regarding the ‘cipher’ controversy before a magistrate today (Wednesday).

Khan has said that the former prime minister planned to use the cipher to create a political narrative against his opposing political parties as well as the establishment.

The statement, released to the media in written form, claims that the PTI chairman was ‘euphoric’ when he saw the cipher and called it a ‘blunder’ by the United States.