An Islamabad court designated to hear cases under the Official Secrets Act recently placed PTI Vice-Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi on a 14-day judicial remand related to the cipher case. The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) took the former foreign minister into custody for alleged connections to a report filed against ex-premier Imran Khan and himself. This report claims both figures and some associates miscommunicated classified information for personal gains, jeopardizing state security. This case emerged when The Intercept, a U.S. news outlet, reportedly published contents of a lost diplomatic cable that Khan previously referenced to support his claims of a “US conspiracy” against him. The FIA expanded its investigations when information surfaced that this cipher was misplaced under Khan’s watch.
Court Proceedings and Future Directions
Upon Qureshi’s arrest, an initial remand had him in FIA’s custody. Subsequent in-camera court sessions saw him handed back to the FIA. Qureshi was then presented in a special court after his two-day physical remand concluded, where a legal team, including Advocate Babar Awan represented him. The court was asked to extend the FIA’s physical custody of Qureshi. However, this request was denied, resulting in Qureshi’s 14-day judicial remand at Adiala jail. Meanwhile, Qureshi has sought post-arrest bail in the cipher case. The court has summoned the concerned parties for their response by September 2. Additionally, Qureshi’s legal team has been granted permission to meet him in jail.
Read: Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s Remand Extended Amidst Allegations of “Political Vendetta”
