Leaked cypher: Imran, Qureshi booked under Official Secrets Act

Usage of classified document for reprehensible political purposes raises serious alarms, says senior officer

ISLAMABAD:

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has launched a thorough probe into the alleged “disappearance” of the diplomatic cypher, booking former prime minister Imran Khan and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi under the recently enacted Official Secrets Act.

Well-placed sources told The Express Tribune on Saturday that the leakage of a classified document was a grave misconduct which has ignited concerns over the national security.

The FIA's Counter Terrorism Wing filed an FIR against the PTI chairman and the vice chairman on August 15. The sources said that the act of leaking sensitive content is a blatant violation of the Official Secrets Act. “The case will be pursued as the relevant sections of the Official Secrets Act,” they added.

A senior officer said that the usage of classified documents for reprehensible political purposes raises serious alarms about the sanctity of Pakistan's diplomatic and national security stature.

He said that a condemnable attempt was recently made to exploit the leaked content for political gains when the purported cypher was leaked to an unknown publication — The Intercept.

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Sources said that a decision has been made to bring the case to a logical conclusion and to hold individuals accountable with stringent penalties.

The decision has been taken, they added, to deter others from leaking crucial national secrets and unnecessarily making them public in future.

Earlier in the day, Shah Mahmood Qureshi was arrested by a heavy contingent of police from his residence in Islamabad. A spokesperson of Islamabad Police said that ex-FM was arrested by the FIA.

Sources had told The Express Tribune that the counter-terrorism wing of the Federal Investigation Agency registered a case against PTI Chairman Imran Khan in connection with the “missing cypher”, invoking severe provisions of law.

The sources revealed that a senior officer, who requested anonymity, claimed to have received instructions from authorities to remain silent on the matter.

Last month, Qureshi and senior PTI leader Asad Umar appeared before FIA FIA-led joint investigation team (JIT) that is probing into an alleged manipulation of a classified diplomatic cypher during the PTI rule.

Read more: 'Massive crime' if contents of leaked state document true: Shehbaz

The JIT is carrying out an investigation on the direction of the former cabinet which alleges that former prime minister Imran Khan, his associates including Qureshi and his former principal secretary prejudiced the national security and interest of the state by directly revealing classified information—a diplomatic cypher—without proper authorisation.

It also accuses them of misuse and unauthorised retention of the cypher telegram.

On March 27, 2022, ahead of a vote of no-trust that resulted in his ouster, Imran Khan had pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket and waved it at the crowd attending a massive public meeting in Islamabad, claiming it was evidence of an “international conspiracy” being hatched to topple his government.

Qureshi, who is PTI’s vice chairman, served as the country’s foreign minister during the party’s rule between August 2018 and April 2022.