Islamabad’s Official Secrets Act Court has extended the custody of Shah Mehmood Qureshi, a prominent member of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, by 2 days in connection with the cipher case.
Shah Mehmood Qureshi, who holds a leadership position within PTI, appeared before the Official Secrets Act court regarding the cipher case following the conclusion of his initial 3-day custody period. Following a closed-door hearing, the court granted the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) an additional 2-day physical custody of Qureshi for ongoing investigations into the cipher case.
The court underscored that if there is no notable progress in the case, further physical custody will not be extended. The FIA is conducting an inquiry into Shah Mehmood Qureshi’s involvement in the cipher case.
On August 26, the Vice Chairman of PTI lodged a plea with the Islamabad High Court contesting the extension of Qureshi’s physical custody in the cipher case. The petition requested the annulment of the three prior orders for physical custody, asserting that the case was filed under the Official Secrets Act as a means of political retribution.