Lettergate/cipher controversy comes to haunt Asad Majeed Khan again as he takes over as Pakistan's new Foreign Secretary

Islamabad: Dr Asad Majeed Khan, who is currently serving as Ambassador of Pakistan to Belgium, Luxembourg and the European Union, was on Friday announced as the new Foreign Secretary of Pakistan.

For the unversed, Asad Majeed Khan was at the centre of the ‘Lettergate/cipher controversy’ that former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan has for long presented as evidence of a “foreign conspiracy” to oust him.

The Lettergate controversy

Dr Asad Majeed Khan reportedly completed his three-year term as Pakistan’s ambassador to the US on 11 January earlier this year. However, he stayed in Washington till 24 March on the arrival of ambassador-designate Sardar Masood Khan.

Back on 7 March, a farewell lunch was organised for Asad Majeed Khan at his residence — Pakistan House. Although it was lunch, a note-taker also attended the meeting, multiple sources told Dawn newspaper.

“The cable that Ambassador Khan later sent to Islamabad was based on the notes taken by the note-taker, who was also from the Pakistan Embassy,” the report states.

Among those present at the lunch were US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu and Deputy Assistant Secretary Lesslie C Viguerie, while the Pakistani side comprised Deputy Chief of Mission Syed Naveed Bokhari among others.

Not to forget, the lunch was held less than two weeks after Russia invaded Ukraine. Hence, invasion dominated the conversation.

At the event, the US side reportedly expressed its “disappointment” with Pakistan’s decision to send former prime minister Imran Khan to Moscow on the day Russia invaded Ukraine.

‘Foreign conspiracy’

Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan, who was ousted on 10 April through a no-confidence motion, had on 27 March brandished a letter at a public rally and claimed that he has evidence of a “foreign conspiracy” hatched to topple the PTI-led government in Pakistan.

Since then, Imran Khan has alleged that the US spearheaded his exit from power. He claimed this on the basis of a cable received from Majeed, in which the former envoy reported about a meeting with Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Affairs Donald Lu, Dawn reported.

In it, Majeed, according to reports, said that Donald Lu warned that Imran Khan’s continuation as Pakistan’s prime minister would have repercussions for bilateral relations.

However, both the nations have time and again rejected Imran Khan’s accusations, saying there was no veracity to them.

In April, PML-N vice president Maryam Nawaz at a news briefing described Khan as the main character behind the ‘threat letter’ controversy, which blamed the Biden administration for backing the move to topple the Imran Khan-led government. “The letter was a drama that was why the ambassador (Majid) was transferred to Brussels overnight,” she said.

Asad Majeed Khan signs ‘most expensive contract’

The Lettergate is not the only controversy involving Asad Majeed Khan’s name. In October, ANI reported that Asad Majeed Khan signed the most expensive contract with an American lobbyist. This came after he had already signed one of the most expensive lobbying deals with another firm, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP for the same purpose.

During his tenure as ambassador to the United States, he signed one of the most-costly contracts. As per the agreement, Pakistan Embassy had agreed to pay USD 100,000 monthly (USD 1.2 million annually) to Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP. However, despite having an active lobbying contract with such an expensive firm, the ambassador had signed a new agreement with Fenton Arlok for the same purpose. The monthly payment as agreed with Fenton Arlok was USD 30,000.

Who is Asad Majeed Khan?

During his diplomatic career spanning over 34 years, Asad Majeed Khan has held several key diplomatic assignments. He has served as Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Japan; Additional Foreign Secretary (Americas); Director General (Americas); Director General (West Asia); Pakistan’s Charge d’ Affaires ad interim to the United States; Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of Pakistan, Washington D.C.; Additional Secretary (Foreign Affairs) at the President’s Secretariat; Director General (United Nations); and Minister-Counsellor at the Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the United Nations.

(With inputs from agencies)

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