Special Court extends Imran Khan's party Vice Chairman's physical remand

ISLAMABAD: The Special Court in Islamabad set up to hear the cypher leak cases has extended the physical remand of the Pakistan Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi for four days, ARY News reported on Monday.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi was presented before a special court in the cypher case, where the hearing Judge Abul Hasnat Muhammad Zulqarnain extended his physical remand for four days to Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

ARY News reported that the court has also asked the investigating officer to present Qureshi again on August 25. The hearing against Imran Khan’s party Vice chairman was heard in-camera by Judge Abul Hasnat Muhammad Zulqarnain. While all the unconcerned people were asked to leave the courtroom before the hearing started, and police officials stood guard outside it.

As per The News International, the PTI leader was produced in the court as Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) requested for 13-day physical remand of the leader. Qureshi was presented in court a day after a session court in Islamabad 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 cypher case on Sunday, reported The News International.

Following the court's orders, Judicial Magistrate Ehtisham Alam Khan asked the FIA to summon the senior politician before the court on Monday.

Qureshi, who also served as Pakistan's Foreign Minister twice was apprehended from his residence in Islamabad for his involvement in the 'cypher gate'.However, before being sent on remand, Qureshi said that no secret code of Pakistan has been compromised. Adding to this, he said that he 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, according to The News International.

He further denied being a part of any conspiracy and possessing any such intentions."This is a politically motivated case, "he said. He further said 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 FIA earlier in July this year, grilled Qureshi and PTI leader Asad Umar for nearly two hours in connection with the probe into controversial US cypher.

Qureshi time and again has reiterated that the US cypher was a 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 cypher 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 cypher for his ‘political gains’ and to avert a vote of no-confidence against him, as per Geo News. The former bureaucrat, in his confession, said when he provided the ex-premier with the cypher, he was “euphoric” 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 establishment and opposition”.Moreover, the three-year sentence disqualifies him from taking part in elections.