In a recent development, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan has denounced the testimony of US Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu before a Congressional panel, calling it a “lie.” Khan demanded a reopening of the inquiry into the controversy known as “ciphergate.”
Addressing journalists outside Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, Barrister Gohar stated that he had a detailed meeting with PTI founder Imran Khan. He demanded a “clarification statement” from former Pakistani ambassador to the US Muhammad Asad Majeed following Lu’s testimony, in which Lu rejected Imran Khan’s allegations that the US engineered his ouster from power by supporting a no-confidence motion in April 2022.
Barrister Gohar highlighted contradictions in Lu’s statement, where Lu rejected the cipher’s content but confirmed his meeting with Majeed, who had submitted a copy of the diplomatic cable. Gohar also clarified that Aleema Khan, Imran Khan’s sister, sought to lodge a case against the US official, calling it a “family decision.”
Responding to a question, the PTI chairman dismissed the notion of any “deal” if Imran Khan is released from prison in the coming days. The cipher controversy resurfaced after Lu’s testimony, in which he labeled Khan’s claims a “conspiracy theory” and “complete falsehood,” denying any US involvement in the matter.
The cipher controversy originated on March 27, 2022, when Khan, less than a month before his ouster, waved a letter during a public rally, alleging a conspiracy involving a foreign nation and his political rivals. He accused the United States of conspiring against him and claimed Lu sought his removal.
During the testimony, Lu also called for an investigation into electoral fraud claims in Pakistan’s 2024 general election, emphasizing the US’s interest in a transparent process. However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reacted strongly, citing misunderstandings regarding Pakistan’s election laws during the Congressional panel hearing.
