Court hands over Shah Mahmood Qureshi to FIA for a day

ISLAMABAD: A sessions court in Islamabad Sunday handed over Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on a day's remand in the cipher case.

After issuing the orders, Judicial Magistrate Ehtisham Alam Khan asked the agency to produce the senior politician before the court on Monday.

The PTI stalwart, who has twice served as Pakistan's foreign minister, was arrested in Islamabad on Sunday evening for his involvement in the 'cipher gate'.

Speaking with journalists before being sent on remand, Qureshi said no secret code of Pakistan has been compromised. He spoke about proving his responsibility and has "acted responsibly".

"I have not shared any such document with any unrelated person," he said, further insisting on always protecting Pakistan's interests and never compromising on them.

The politico denied being part of any conspiracy and possessing any such intentions. "This is a politically motivated case."

Qureshi reiterated that his conscience is clear and he has always done the right thing.

"Sections 5 and 9 of the Official Secrets Act do not apply to me. I do not see the justification for this custody," he added.

The PTI politician said he answered all the questions when he was summoned and provided a written statement as well.

He also spoke about his lawyers giving their arguments as well. Mahmood said he expected the magistrate to fulfill the requirements of justice.

"There is no justification for this arrest," Qureshi said, speaking about "fully" cooperating with the FIA personnel.

Khan — ousted via a parliamentary vote in April last year — had alleged on March 27, 2022, that Washington orchestrated a plan to remove him from office — and brandished the cipher at a public rally to back his claims. The US has time and again denied such allegations, terming them "categorically false".

Qureshi time and again has reiterated that the US cipher was reality, backing the party chief’s claims that the US engineered his ouster from power by supporting the opposition's no-confidence motion in April last year.

The cipher case against the former premier became serious after his principal secretary Azam Khan stated before a magistrate as well as the FIA that the former PM had used the US cipher for his "political gains" and to avert a vote of no-confidence against him.

In relation to the case, the FIA also arrested the PTI chief a day earlier and today, it also apprehended ex-PTI secretary general Asad Umar from Islamabad.

Khan, a former international cricket star turned politician, was jailed earlier this month after being convicted of graft in one of the more than 200 cases he has faced since being ousted as PM in a no-confidence vote in April 2022.

The three-year sentence disqualifies him from taking part in elections.