- Court grants three days physical remand, denies transfer to Lahore due to ‘security reason’
- Police team record PTI’s leader’s statement at Adiala Jail, be to presented in ATC via video link
LAHORE: A local court granted a three-day physical remand of incarcerated PTI Senior Vice President Shah Mahmood Qureshi after the Lahore Police arrested him in eight more cases related May 9 riots.
The court, however, turned down request of the investigation team to transfer Shah Mahmood Qureshi to Lahore, due to “security concerns”.
However, the court granted a three-day physical remand of the PTI leader on the request of the investigation team.
Earlier today, a special team of the police approached the ATC in Lahore seeking permission to arrest, interrogate and summon the PTI leader in an FIR registered with Police Station Sarwar Road.
The court, however, denied the permission in view of the “security concerns”.
Meanwhile, the court allowed the investigation officer to visit Adalia Jail for interrogation of the accused within a period of three days instead.
“The accused shall be deemed to be on physical remand for that purpose,” read the court order.
The court directed police to produce the suspect before it via a video link on Monday (May 27). The superintendent of the jail was also ordered to make necessary arrangements in this regard.
Later, the police reached the Rawalpindi prison and recorded Qureshi’s statement in the case.
‘Lawlessness making new highs’
Reacting to the implication of Qureshi in more cases, a spokesperson of the PTI said that the court had already granted bail to the former ruling party’s vice-chairman in these cases.
“Law was flouted again to keep Qureshi behind bars by making the court’s order ineffective practically.”
The spokesperson said that Qureshi was being punished for firmly sticking with the ideology of the PTI founder. Lawlessness was reaching new highs in the country, he added.
The Khan-founded party, the spokesperson said, would take every possible action against the cruel act.
Cypher case conviction
On Jan 30, a special court established under the Official Secrets Act handed down both former prime minister Imran Khan and ex-foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi 10 years in jail in the Cypher case.
The Cypher case pertains to a diplomatic document that the Federal Investigation Agency’s charge sheet alleges was never returned by Imran. The PTI claimed the document contained a threat from the United States to oust Imran as prime minister.
Imran Khan and Qureshi were facing trial in Cypher case in Adiala Jail from last year for ‘distorting’ the facts of the diplomatic Cypher.
Both the PTI leaders were accused of conspiracy to misuse the contents of the cipher to fulfill nefarious purposes.
The first information report (FIR) was registered on August 15 under the Official Secrets Act. It was registered on the complaint of the Home Secretary. Former prime minister and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi were nominated in the report, while names of former principal secretary Azam Khan and former planning minister Asad Umar were also mentioned.
According to the report, action also will be taken against Azam Khan and Asad Umar after the authorities reached the conclusion that they were also involved in misusing the classified documents.
