Pakistan: Special court sends Shah Mahmood Qureshi to 14-day judicial remand in cipher case

ISLAMABAD (PAKISTAN): A special court on Wednesday sent Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) vice chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi to a 14-day judicial remand in cipher case, Pakistan-based Geo News reported.

The special court has been set up to hear cases under the Official Secrets Act. Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) produced Pakistan's former foreign minister before the special court after the completion of his two-day physical remand. Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain conducted the hearing on the case.

The FIA prosecutor requested an extension in Qureshi's physical remand. However, judge Zulqarnain rejected the request and expressed displeasure over repeated pleas for an extension, according to Geo News report.

Earlier this month, Qureshi was arrested by the FIA's Counter Terrorism Wing (CTW) after a case was registered against him as interior secretary Yousaf Naseem Khokhar complained about him under Sections 5 and 9 of Official Secrets Act 1923 r/w 34 PP, Geo News reported.

The FIR stated, "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 (ie 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," Geo News reported.

Earlier on August 28, a special court in Islamabad on Monday extended the physical remand of Qureshi for another two days in the cipher case, Pakistan-based Dawn reported.

After Qureshi's arrest on August 19, a local magistrate in Islamabad remanded the PTI vice chairman in Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) custody for a day. Later, a special court again handed him to the agency twice and declared the proceedings as in-camera.