ISLAMABAD: A sessions court in Islamabad on Sunday granted the Federal Investigation Agency a day’s remand of PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the cipher case.
Judicial Magistrate Ehtisham Alam Khan issued the orders, asking the body to produce him before the court on Monday.
Qureshi, who served as the foreign minister under ex-prime minister Imran Khan, was arrested in the capital Islamabad on Saturday evening.
Talking to reporters before being on remand, Qureshi said no secret code of Pakistan had been compromised. He spoke about proving his responsibility and “acting 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. He denied being a part of any conspiracy and possessing any such intentions. “This is a politically motivated case.”
Qureshi reiterated that his conscience was clear and he had 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.
Mahmood said he expected the court to fulfill the requirements of justice. “There is no justification for this arrest,” Qureshi said, speaking about “fully” cooperating with the FIA personnel.
Meanwhile, as the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Sunday confirmed the arrest of former federal minister, PT’s former secretary general Pakistan Asad Umar in the cipher case, the PTI sources denied it.
The party sources at midnight confirmed Asad has not been arrested and is at home, turning the arrest report into a mystery.
The FIA sources had stated in the day that Asad Umar had been arrested on concrete evidence collected by the intelligence wing of FIA, which proves his involvement in the cipher scam.
The Counterterrorism Wing of the FIA had confirmed Asad’s arrest under articles 5 and 9 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923, in the same FIR (No 06/2023) under which the PTI chairman was booked on August 5, 2023.
The PTI leader was reported to have been taken into custody from his residence in Islamabad on Sunday morning.
The FIA sources said Asad was arrested in connection with the investigation into the exploitation of the classified document. They added that the people engaged in the investigation of Cablegate were fully confident that the PTI leader was directly responsible for misusing the secret document.
Both the PTI leaders, Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Asad Umar, have recorded their statements before the CTW team more than twice.
Earlier in July this year, the FIA grilled Shah Mehmood Qureshi and PTI leader Asad Umar for nearly two hours in connection with the probe into the controversial US cipher.
Shah Mehmood Qureshi has repeatedly reiterated that the US cipher was a reality, backing the party chief’s claims that the US engineered his ouster from power by supporting then 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 the vote of no-confidence against him.
Azam Khan, in his confession, said when he provided the ex-premier with the cipher, he was overjoyed and termed the language a “US blunder”. The former prime minister, according to Azam, then said that the cable could be used for “creating a narrative against the establishment and opposition”.
Azam said the US cipher was used in political gatherings by the PTI chairman, despite his advice to him to avoid such acts. He mentioned that the former prime minister also told him that the cipher could be used to divert the public’s attention towards “foreign involvement” in the opposition’s no-confidence motion.
The Counter-Terrorism Wing of the FIA had registered the case against the former prime minister after ascertaining his deliberate involvement in misusing the classified document following a probe.
The sources said that former principal secretary to the former PM is also in the FIA custody and under investigation.
Meeting was attended by CDA members, DG Resource Wing, ED Capital Hospital and the relevant senior officers
Mian Saleem, who was placed in list of most wanted terrorists, was accused by FIA of blackmailing Judge Arshed Malik
Senator Mohammad Abdul Qadir advocated for creation of authority to regulate and promote Pakistan’s mineral industry
$626,980 was paid for submission and approval of project charter and execution
Speaker advocated collective approach to strengthening democratic and parliamentary institutions across Pakistan
Both discuss matters of mutual interest, and agreed to enhance trade and cultural ties between two friendly countries
