ECP disqualifies Shah Mahmood Qureshi for next five years

Islamabad:  The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced on Saturday the disqualification of former Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi for a period of five years due to his recent conviction in the cipher case.

This disqualification, occurring just five days prior to the February 8 general elections, marks a significant development for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which is participating in the elections amidst heightened state restrictions and the absence of its traditional electoral symbol, the bat.

As per a notification obtained by reliable sources, Shah Mehmood Qureshi was found guilty under various sections of the Official Secrets Act (OSA) and the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) based on the January 30 judgment issued by the Special Court judge in "The State versus Imran Ahmed Khan Niazi and Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi" case.

The notification details Qureshi's convictions under multiple sections of the OSA and the PPC, resulting in his disqualification under Article 63(1)(h) of the Constitution of Pakistan, in conjunction with Section 232 of the Elections Act, 2017.

Consequently, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, the Vice Chairman of PTI, is ineligible to contest the General Elections-2024 and any subsequent elections for a duration of five years.

Earlier, on January 30, a special court established under the Official Secrets Act sentenced both former Prime Minister Imran Khan and ex-Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi to 10 years in prison in connection with the cipher case.

The cipher case revolves around a diplomatic document that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) alleges was never returned by Imran Khan, with the document purportedly containing a threat from the United States to remove Imran from his position as prime minister.

Imran Khan and Shah Mehmood Qureshi faced trial in the cipher case at Adiala Jail since the previous year, accused of distorting the facts of the diplomatic cipher and conspiring to misuse its contents for nefarious purposes.

The initial First Information Report (FIR) was lodged on August 15 under the Official Secrets Act, with Shah Mahmood Qureshi, along with former principal secretary Azam Khan and former planning minister Asad Umar, implicated in the misuse of classified documents.