Former Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi arrested, PTI leadership under scrutiny
In a high-voltage twist to Pakistani politics, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, the former foreign minister and vice-chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), was arrested by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Saturday. This marks the third-time authorities have put Shah Mehmood Qureshi in chains since May 9, hinting at a significant political turmoil bubbling beneath the surface.
The arrest, shrouded in secrecy and political drama, occurred mere hours after Shah Mehmood Qureshi boldly declared PTI’s intention to challenge any postponement of Pakistan’s national elections during a fiery press conference. What exactly put the ex-foreign minister behind bars remains a tightly guarded mystery, but whispers in the corridors of power hint at his involvement in a case related to a diplomatic cypher under the Offical Secrets Act, 1923.
Further thickening the plot, Shah Mehmood Qureshi’s arrest dovetails with ongoing interrogations of PTI’s chief and former prime minister, Imran Khan. The former Pakistan cricketer has long flaunted a missing diplomatic cable as proof of international meddling aiming to unseat him. This cable, drenched in intrigue, has now entangled Shah Mehmood Qureshi. The charge sheet against Shah Mehmood Qureshi paints a picture of alleged breaches of national security, referencing the Official Secrets Act and the Pakistan Penal Code.
Former Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi arrested by FIA. Photo courtesy of Österreichisches Außenministerium/Wikimedia Commons.
With a backdrop of turmoil that saw loyalists abandon the embattled Imran Khan after an anti-military uproar by PTI supporters in May, Shah Mehmood Qureshi was one of the few knights still defending the former Pakistan Prime Minister’s political chessboard.
Earlier in the day, spicing up the political narrative further, Shah Mehmood Qureshi disclosed a secretive breakfast rendezvous with the Australian high commissioner and other diplomatic heavyweights. While he brushed off media claims suggesting discussions centered on Imran Khan’s release or the contentious diplomatic cipher, the timing of his arrest post this revelation has the nation buzzing with theories. The pot of Pakistani politics is once again on the boil, and only time will reveal the next explosive chapter.