Special court hearing cases under Official Secrets Act on Tuesday granted interim bail to former secretary-general of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Asad Umar in cipher case. Umar, defying rumours of his arrest in the cipher case moved a special court in Islamabad for interim bail in the case, earlier in the day. Judge Abu Al-Hasnat Zulqarnain took up the plea of Asad Umar and after hearing initial arguments from his lawyer Babar Awan, the former minister was granted interim bail until August 29. Asad Umar during his appearance in the special court refuted rumours of his arrest and added he had joined the investigation twice and that there is no reality in the news of his arrest. Earlier, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) vice chairman and former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi was arrested from his residence in Islamabad. PTI vice chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi was arrested in connection with the Cypher case and shifted to Federal Investigation Authority (FIA) headquarters. It is pertinent to mention here that Azam Khan, ex-principal secretary to the PTI chairman and former prime minister made startling revelations and claimed that the former PM used US cypher for his ‘political gains’ and to avert a no-confidence motion against him.

 Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)