Court extends Qureshi's physical remand in cypher case

Islamabad: The court handed over Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi to the custody of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for two days in the Cypher case on Monday.

Details indicate that the Cypher case was heard by a special court functioning under the Official Secrets Act, with Judge Abu Al-Hasanat Muhammad Zul-Qarnain presiding over the proceedings.

Shah Mahmood Qureshi appeared before the court after the three-day physical remand was completed.

He was accompanied by PTI attorneys Babar Awan and Shaheen Shafi as well as FIA special prosecutor Zuafar Naqvi.

In court, the FIA asked for an extra five days of physical detention for Shah Mahmood Qureshi; the special court reserved judgment on the motion.

Shah Mahmood's physical custody was later prolonged by the Special Court in the Cypher case for an additional two days, and under the Official Secrets Act, Judge Abu Al-Hasanat Zul-Qarnain turned him over to the FIA for two days of physical remand.

It is important to note that the PTI vice chairman and chief were both charged with "deliberately omitting a copy of the diplomatic cypher."

The Official Secrets Act's first information report (FIR) was filed on August 15. In response to the Home Secretary's complaint, it was recorded.