Lieutenant General (retired) Abdul Qadir Baloch said that Imran Khan had committed a crime by revealing the contents of a cipher and could eventually be tried in military courts.

Speaking to Shaukat Piracha in Rubaroo, the former Balochistan governor said that it has already been stated that the any civilian who attacked a military installation will be tried in military courts.

When asked if the uncle who trained Hasaan Niazi will also be brought to military courts, Baloch said that there were plenty of cases still pending against Imran Khan and he will be brought before the special courts if needed as well.

Baloch said that there has been plenty of specualtion that Imran Khan was behind the May 9 attacks, and when proved he will be brought to a military court.

He added that the caretaker government’s responsibility only involved creating a favourable environment for transparent elections. Baloch added that even if the caretaker Prime Minister had made a statement about Imran’s involvement in May 9, it could have been a political statement.

When asked how the coordinated attacks of May 9 had managed to happen, Baloch said that it was usually ensured that force will not used against by the army against the country’s own citizens. However, he added that in the case of military installations, he might have handled the event differently.

When asked if the claims being made by the PTI about May 9 being a conspiracy had any weight, Baloch said that it had been made clear by subsequent events the the conspiracy had been made by PTI itself.

Regarding reports about PTI approaching foreign ambassadors to get Imran Khan released, Baloch added that it was a violation of the party’s own slogans about ‘haqeeqi azadi’.

He also questioned how the Pakistani state could be pressured into releasing Khan by foreign government.

On the cipher, Baloch said that it was clear that Imran Khan had reveled the contents of a classified document against the law. He said that he had not only flouted the law by showing the cipher to other people but had also used it to create uncertainty in the country.

Baloch added that delimitations in the country were so skewed that his constituency had been given an area of 98,000 square kilometre, larger than the entire province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Baloch said the main hurdle to Nawaz Sharif’s return was the conviction sentence he had received from the Islamabad High Court. He added that unless relief was granted, Nawaz would have to go to jail if he came back to prime minister.

However, Baloch said that in his personal opinion, Nawaz was a brave man and would be more dangerous in jail.

On the inclusion of Balochistan’s politicians in the cabinet, he said that Kakar would be able to present the province’s demands to the powers that be in a better way.

He also said that Akhtar Mengal had made an excessive remark regarding Kakar and had later clarified his stance. He said that all parties had given Shehbaz Sharif the right to appoint the caretaker PM and the choice should be accepted.