ISLAMABAD — Pakistan’s prime investigation company has arrested an opposition chief, who’s a detailed aide of convicted former Prime Minister Imran Khan, for exposing official secrets and techniques and harming state pursuits, in keeping with case paperwork revealed Sunday.
It’s the newest improvement in a standoff between the administration of outgoing Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his predecessor Khan, who was jailed earlier this month on graft prices.
Shah Mahmood Qureshi, a two-time international minister, was arrested Saturday evening at his Islamabad dwelling by the Federal Investigation Company on prices of exposing a letter final 12 months to say that Khan was ousted from energy by the U.S.
The letter has not been made public however was apparently diplomatic correspondence between a Pakistani ambassador to Washington and the Ministry of Overseas Affairs in Islamabad.
Cricketing hero Khan was booted out of parliament in April 2022 in a no-confidence vote. He insists his elimination was engineered by Washington, Sharif’s authorities and the army. All three deny the allegation.
Case paperwork about Qureshi’s arrest stated he, Khan and others are concerned within the communication of data in a secret labeled letter to unauthorized individuals by “twisting the info to realize their ulterior motives and private features.”
The paperwork allege they conspired to misuse the contents of the letter to perform their “nefarious designs.”
Qureshi was arrested hours after he held a press convention Saturday night demanding a stage taking part in area for Khan’s get together, alleging that 1000’s of supporters are behind bars. He stated the get together will problem any doable delay to elections, on account of be held later this 12 months.
Khan, who’s serving a three-year time period in a excessive safety jail in japanese Punjab province, has additionally been arrested within the case, identified regionally as Cypher. Qureshi is standing in for Khan as chief of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf get together, or PTI.
Sharif accused Khan of exposing an official secret doc in an incident final 12 months when he waved a confidential diplomatic letter at a rally.
The Federal Investigation Company’s director normal, Mohsin Hassan Butt, confirmed Sunday that Khan and Qureshi are each booked underneath Pakistan’s Official Secrets and techniques Act. He gave no additional info.
Qureshi appeared in an Islamabad court docket on Sunday. His lawyer, Shah Fahad, stated the court docket gave the investigation company 14 days to query the opposition chief. He will probably be in police custody throughout this era.
Khan has greater than 150 authorized instances in opposition to him, together with a number of on prices of corruption, “terrorism” and inciting individuals to violence over protests in Could that noticed his followers assault authorities and army property throughout the nation.
Authorities have moved to rein within the outspoken politician’s supporters and allies since Could, detaining 1000’s of Khan’s followers for his or her alleged involvement within the turmoil.