Page 11 - Pakistan Link - October 20, 2023
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PAKISTAN                                                                                                             PAKISTAN  LINK - OCTOBER 20, 2023 - P11

       ISLAMABAD:  The  top  Pakistani   Former Ambassador Rues ‘Loss of                                                      Dr Majeed, Defense Attache Brig Nau-
       diplomat who sent a controversial ci-                                                                                  man  Awan,  Deputy  Chief  of  Mission
       pher to the foreign ministry believes                                                                                  Naveed Bokhari and Counsellor Politi-
       that the disclosure of a confidential   Credibility’ in Cipher Episode                                                 cal Qasim Mohiuddin.
       diplomatic  cable  “undermined  the                                                                                       He  stated  that  “both  sides  were
       integrity of our communication sys-                                                                                    aware that the conversation was being
       tem”  and  eroded  the  credibility  of                                                  witnesses with the defense counsel.  minuted” adding that the communica-
       Pakistani diplomats.                                                                        Dr  Majeed  testified:  “As  a  foreign  tion was sent to Islamabad through a
         This was a contention in the testi-                                                    service professional, I believe that the  secret  coded  communication  system
       mony of Dr Asad Majeed Khan, former                                                      cipher episode has undermined the in- used for correspondence between for-
       ambassador of Pakistan to the United                                                     tegrity of our communication system,  eign missions of Pakistan and the Min-
       States,  recorded  before  the  investiga-                                               the  credibility  of  our  diplomats  and  istry of Foreign Affairs.“
       tion  officer  of  the  Federal  Investiga-                                              diplomacy, which has adverse implica-  He clarified that “sending cipher is
       tion Agency (FIA) in connection with                                                     tions for our future diplomatic report- a  routine  practice  of  diplomatic  mis-
       cipher case.                                                                             ing culture.”                 sion  abroad”.  There  was  no  reference
         The statement was handed over to                                                          Dr  Majeed,  a  BS-22  officer  of  the  to words “threat” or “conspiracy” in the
       the counsel of former prime minister                                                     Foreign Service of Pakistan, is one of  secret cipher telegram, “nor did I make
       Imran Khan and former foreign min-                                                       30  witnesses  the  prosecution  cited  in  any suggestion on the existence of any
       ister Shah Mehmood Qureshi.                                                              the  challan  submitted  in  the  cipher  conspiracy”.
         Both  top  leaders  of  the  Pakistan                                                  case.                            The statement said the then leader-
       Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) have been nomi-                                                       He stated that his meeting with the  ship in Islamabad has drawn the politi-
       nated as prime suspects in the first in-                                                 Assistant Secretary for South and Cen- cal conclusion.
       formation report (FIR) registered un-                                                    tral Asian Affairs of the US, Mr Donald   It said that Pakistan responded with
       der the Official Secrets Act for making                                                  Lu, was preplanned.           a demarche and after reviewing the ci-
       the confidential contents of the secret                                                     According  to  him,  the  other  par- pher telegram, it was concluded in the
       communication public.                                                                    ticipants of the meeting were Deputy  meeting of the National Security Com-
         During  proceedings  of  the  Special                                                  Assistant  Secretary  of  State  Lesslie  mittee that there was no foreign con-
       Court  (Official  Secrets  Act)  on  Tues- day,  the  prosecution  shared  copies  of  the challan and the testimonies of the  Viguerie,  from  Pakistani  side  besides  spiracy. – Dawn


            wo  major  political  parties  —   PML-N, PPP Assured of 'Conducive'                                              the caretaker government.
            the  Pakistan  Muslim  League-                                                                                       The minister assured both the lead-
       TNawaz  (PML-N)  and  the                                                                                              ers that the caretaker government would
       Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) — were      Environment ahead of Polls                                                    ensure that elections were conducted in
       assured  Wednesday  by  the  caretaker                                                                                 fair, transparent, and impartial manner.
       government  of  a  conducive  environ-                                                                                    Despite  being  partners  in  the  last
       ment  as  the  country  heads  towards                                                                                 government  and  demanding  PML-N
       general elections.                                                                                                     supremo  Nawaz  Sharif's  return,  PPP
         The  Election  Commission  of  Paki-                                                                                 has  raised  concerns  that  the  former
       stan  (ECP)  has  already  said  that  the                                                                             prime minister might get a "special re-
       general  polls  will  be  held  in  January                                                                            lief".
       next year, prompting political parties to                                                                                 Nawaz will return to Pakistan on Oc-
       begin their campaigns for wooing voters                                                                                tober 21, with the PML-N's legal team
       and strengthening party ranks.                                                                                         being hopeful that he will not have to
         However,  apart  from  the  PPP,  the                                                                                go to jail despite being a convict and an
       Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-In-                                                                                  absconder. Solangi's meeting with both
       saf (PTI) and other political parties have                                                                             the  politicos  comes  after  he  met  PTI
       demanded the authorities to provide a                                                                                  leader  Shafqat  Mahmood  to  evolve  a
       "level-playing field" for all.                                                                                         consensus on the general elections and
         Interim  Minister  for  Information                                                                                  ease the prevailing tense political envi-
       and  Broadcasting  Murtaza  Solangi,  in                                                                               ronment in the country.
       his  meetings  with  PML-N  and  PPP                                                                                      Although Solangi said no political
       leaders, said the fundamental responsi-                                                                                discussion  took  place,  the  PTI  said
       bility of the caretaker government was                                                                                 conducting transparent elections, en-
       to  provide  a  conducive  environment                                                                                 suring equal opportunities to partici-
       for elections and monitor the electoral   Interim Minister for Information and Broadcasting Murtaza Solangi (first left) meets PML-N leader Musadik Malik   pate in the polls for political parties,
       process.                      and PPP's Syed Akhunzada Chattan (right) — X@MoIB_Official                               evolving  greater  national  consensus,
         State-run  APP  reported  that  the                                                                                  and  other  matters  of  mutual  interest
       minister  held  separate  meetings  with  PPP's Syed Akhunzada Chattan.  tual  interest  —  including  upcoming   Solangi said that the peaceful trans- came  under  discussion  during  the
       PML-N  leader  Musadik  Malik  and   During the meetings, issues of mu- general elections — were discussed.  fer of power was the topmost priority of  meeting. – The News

       N supremo Nawaz Sharif, PPP Chairman Bila- Democracy, Elections in Pakistan Stalled                             ter late than never,” he added.
       KARACHI: In an apparent reference to PML-
                                                                                                                         Bilawal demanded that the Election Com-
       wal Bhutto-Zardari on Wednesday said Paki-                                                                      mission of Pakistan should promptly announce
       stan’s  Constitution,  democracy  and  elections   for Return of One Person: Bilawal                            the election date.
       have been stalled “for the return of one person”.                                                                 “If the PPP has to swallow the bitter pill of
         Nawaz left for London in the middle of his                                                                    a delay in elections beyond the 90-day period,
       seven-year jail term in the Al-Azizia corrup-                                                                   then we hope that all democratic parties will
       tion case on “medical grounds” in 2019 after                                                                    stand behind the PPP’s demand for an imme-
       the  Lahore  High  Court  granted  him  bail  for                                                               diate announcement of the election schedule,”
       four  weeks.  During  the  course  of  these  four                                                              Bilawal said.
       years, he was declared a proclaimed offender                                                                      The  delay  in  elections,  he  went  on  to  say,
       in Al-Azizia and Avenfield graft cases for his                                                                  was  “not  a  show  of  respect  for  the  vote  but
       continuous absence from the proceedings.                                                                        rather a disrespect for it.”
         The  elder  Sharif  is  currently  staying  in                                                                  The  PPP  chairman  further  emphasized
       Saudi Arabia and is scheduled to return to the                                                                  the need for everyone to contribute to Paki-
       country via Dubai on October 21. According                                                                      stan’s development and denounced “politics
       to  the  PML-N,  Nawaz  will  address  a  public                                                                of hatred”.
       gathering at Minar-i-Pakistan upon his arrival.                                                                   “People have lost interest in your politics,”
         Addressing  a  gathering  in  Karachi  today,                                                                 he claimed, adding that the only way to solve
       Bilawal,  without  naming  Nawaz,  said:  “The                                                                  Pakistan’s problem was by way of  unity among
       16-month tenure of the previous government                                                                      the people.
       has  shown  that  the  country  cannot  be  run                                                                   Bilawal  added  that  the  PPP  would  initi-
       from London, and it is imperative for everyone                                                                  ate  a  nationwide  electoral  campaign  with
       to be physically present among the people and                                                                   the sole objective of  pressing for an election
       be accountable to them.”                                                                                        date and allowing the people to decide who
         “As far as this return is concerned, it is bet- PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari addresses a rally in Karachi on Wednesday — DawnNewsTV  to vote for. - Dawn

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