A special court formed to hear cases under the Official Secrets Act on Wednesday sent former foreign minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s on a 14-day judicial remand in cipher case. Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) produced the former foreign minister before the special court after the completion of his two-day physical remand today. Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain, who has been given additional charge of the special court, conducted the hearing on the case. During the hearing, FIA’s special prosecutor implored the court to extend physical remand saying they needed to recover Qureshi’s mobile phone and the diplomatic cable. Expressing displeasure over repeated pleas for an extension, Judge Zulqarnain rejected the request. Qureshi was arrested earlier this month by the FIA’s Counter Terrorism Wing (CTW) after a case was lodged against him on the complaint of Interior Secretary Yousaf Naseem Khokhar under Sections 5 and 9 of Official Secrets Act 1923 r/w 34 PP. “Consequent upon the conclusion of the enquiry No. 111/2023 dated 05.10.2022, registered in the CTW, FIA Islamabad, it transpired that former prime minister namely Imran Ahmad Khan Niazi, former foreign minister namely Shah Mahmood Qureshi and their other associates are involved in communications of information contained in secret classified document (Cipher Telegram received from Parep. Washington dated 7th March, 2022 to Secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs) to the unauthorised person (i.e. public at large) by twisting the facts to achieve their ulterior motives and personal gains in a manner prejudicial to the interests of state security,” the FIR stated.
Earlier today, ahead of Qureshi’s hearing, Judge Zulqarnain extended PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s judicial remand till September 13 in the cipher case.
Hearing of the case took place at the Attock District Jail following approval by the Law Ministry amid security concerns expressed by the Interior Ministry.
Khan has been imprisoned in jail since his conviction in the Toshakhana case on August 5 for failing to properly declare gifts he received while in office.
