Pakistan Arrests Opposition Leader for Exposing Official Secrets, Harming National Interest

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan’s prime investigation company has arrested an opposition chief, who’s an in depth aide of convicted former Prime Minister Imran Khan, for exposing official secrets and techniques and harming state pursuits, based on case paperwork revealed Sunday.

It’s the most recent 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 expenses.

Shah Mahmood Qureshi was arrested Saturday night time at his Islamabad house by the Federal Investigation Company on expenses of exposing a letter final 12 months to assert 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 International Affairs in Islamabad.

Cricketing hero Khan was booted out of parliament in April 2022 in a no-confidence vote. He insists his removing 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 knowledge in a secret labeled letter to unauthorized individuals by “twisting the details to attain their ulterior motives and private beneficial properties.”

The paperwork allege they conspired to misuse the contents of the letter to perform their “nefarious designs.”

No person from the Federal Investigation Company was instantly obtainable for remark.

Qureshi was arrested hours after he held a press convention Saturday night demanding a degree taking part in area for Khan’s occasion, alleging that 1000’s of supporters are behind bars. He stated the occasion will problem any attainable delay to elections, as a result of be held later this 12 months.

Khan, who is serving a three-year term 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 occasion, 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.

Khan has greater than 150 authorized circumstances towards him, together with a number of on expenses of corruption, “terrorism” and inciting individuals to violence over protests in Might 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 Might, detaining 1000’s of Khan’s followers for his or her alleged involvement within the turmoil.

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