ISLAMABAD: As a local magistrate on Sunday remanded PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi in the FIA custody for a day in the ongoing cipher case, former finance minister and erstwhile PTI leader Asad Umar went ‘missing’ from the federal capital.

There were speculations that Mr Umar had also been taken into custody in connection with the same case, with media reports and party leaders insisting that he was arrested by FIA.

These reports were lent credence by the fact that the FIR registered against Mr Qureshi and PTI chief Imran Khan under the Official Secrets Act also named Mr Umar as one of the ‘associates’ that investigators wanted to question in this connection.

According to the FIR, the role Asad Umar and other associates involved would be ascertained by FIA during the course of investigations.

However, FIA officials denied having the former federal minister in their custody, saying that an investigation into the cipher controversy was ongoing with Mr Umar’s role yet to be determined in the case.

Later on Sunday night, reports citing family sources claimed that Mr Umar had returned home.

Qureshi’s remand

On the other hand, duty magistrate Ehtisham Alam handed over Mr Qureshi to the FIA on one-day physical remand.

The FIA produced Mr Qureshi in the court of duty magistrate and sought a 14-day physical remained.

Mr Qureshi, on the occasion, said the case against him was politically motivated and rejected the allegations against him as false.

The FIA will again produce Mr Qureshi in the court on Monday (today) to seek an extension in the physical remand.

Last year, then-prime minister Imran Khan alleged that the no-confidence motion was tabled against him at the behest of the United States. At a public meeting, he waved the copy of the purported cipher as evidence to the US involvement in his ouster and claimed that he was being “punished” for developing relations with Russia.

The US has repeatedly rejected his claim.

Mr Umar was considered to be very close to Mr Khan, and he was also arrested after the May 9 riots. Upon his release, he announced that he was stepping down from the post of secretary general, but had refused to quit the party.

Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2023