PTI Demands Apology From Ex-CIA Officer Over ‘False Claims’ Against Imran Khan
By Arshad Mehmood / The Media Line
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has firmly rejected allegations made by former CIA officer John Kiriakou against its founder and former Prime Minister Imran Khan, describing them as baseless and politically motivated.
The party demanded that Kiriakou issue a public apology, warning that failure to do so could lead to legal action in US courts.
In a recent interview with India’s ANI news agency, Kiriakou claimed that before accusing Washington over the cipher issue, Imran Khan had sought permission from the then-US ambassador in Islamabad.
He also suggested that Khan’s 2022 removal from office was linked to US diplomatic maneuvering.
PTI, in a statement issued by its Central Media Department, denounced Kiriakou’s remarks as “false, fabricated and lacking any credible evidence.”
The party said the allegations—referring to Imran Khan, the diplomatic cipher and the US ambassador—were misleading and intended to manipulate public opinion through misinformation.
The statement further rejected Kiriakou’s claim that Imran Khan tried to contact Pakistan’s establishment through his former wife, Jemima Khan.
It noted that Jemima had not visited Pakistan for years and had no communication with any government official regarding Imran Khan’s release, calling the assertion “entirely false and based on fabrication.”
PTI reiterated that if Kiriakou failed to issue an apology, the party reserved the right to pursue legal action against him in the United States, arguing that his comments had damaged the reputation of both Imran Khan and PTI.
In his interview, Kiriakou also made controversial remarks about Pakistan’s nuclear program, claiming that control over it had once been in US hands and alleging that American officials had paid millions of dollars to Pakistani counterparts.
John Kiriakou, in addition to his work with the CIA, served as chief of counterterrorist operations in Pakistan after the Sept. 11 attacks.
He oversaw several raids on al-Qaida hideouts, including a 2002 operation in Faisalabad that led to the capture of Abu Zubaydah, then believed to be al-Qaida’s third-ranking leader. Kiriakou left the CIA in 2004 to work as a consultant.
Kiriakou’s interview with the Indian news agency has stirred debate in both Islamabad and Washington.
Analysts say the episode has become another flashpoint in the continuing narrative battle over the cipher controversy and alleged US involvement in Pakistan’s political affairs—a claim that the US government and independent observers have consistently denied.
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