World News

Former Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi Arrested From Islamabad Residence: PTI

August 19, 2023
Bharat Times

Shah Mehmood Qureshi, former foreign minister of Pakistan and a close associate of imprisoned ex-prime minister Imran Khan, was apprehended by police at his Islamabad residence on Saturday (August 19). 

Qureshi, the Vice Chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, was arrested and taken to the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) headquarters, as per a report by news agency PTI. While the exact charges that led to his detention are unknown, the FIA is currently questioning imprisoned PTI leader Imran Khan in connection with a case involving a missing diplomatic cable. This cable, which Khan cited as proof of a “foreign conspiracy” to depose him in April of the previous year, has become central to the investigation, it said. 

The PTI said in a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, that “PTI vice chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi has been illegally arrested once again.”

When the diplomatic cable issue first surfaced, Qureshi was the foreign minister. According to the cable, a meeting between US State Department officials, including Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu and Pakistani envoy Asad Majeed Khan, took place.

PTI General Secretary Omar Ayub confirmed Qureshi’s arrest, saying it happened shortly after Qureshi returned home after a press conference. Ayub expressed concern about a “reign of lawlessness” under the current caretaker government. 

“Had hoped that the reign of lawlessness would have ended after the exit of the fascist PDM (Pakistan Democratic Movement) government, but it appears that this caretaker government wants to break the records of their predecessor fascist government,” Ayub said.

Notably, Qureshi had been arrested on May 11 and subsequently released on June 6. Amid the current developments, Khan’s actions and credibility have faced intensified scrutiny, particularly with the release of a purported copy of the secret cable by US media outlet The Intercept. Critics from the previous government, led by Shehbaz Sharif, have raised suspicions about Khan’s involvement in the leak.

Rana Sanaullah, a former interior minister, remarked that if Khan indeed misplaced the copy of the cable provided to him, it could be a violation of the Official Secrets Act.

Imran Khan, aged 70, is currently serving a three-year prison sentence following his conviction in a corruption case earlier this month.