Former Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has called for President Arif Alvi to testify in the Saifur Rehman case, raising questions about the amendments made to the Trial Official Secrets Act. The case, involving the Trial Official Secrets Act of 1923 or 2023, saw proceedings in Adiala Jail, where the Special Prosecutor of the Federal Investigation Agency, Zulfiqar Naqvi, appeared before the Special Court. Prime Minister Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s lawyers were also present during the court hearing.
Qureshi’s family members, including his wife Bushra Bibi, sisters Alima Khan, Noreen Khan, and his daughter and son, were present in the courtroom. During the proceedings, Shah Mahmood Qureshi demanded clarification on the legal basis under which the Trial Official Secrets Act was being invoked and questioned whether the amendments were approved.
Qureshi highlighted that their production order had been subject to a judicial order, and the jail administration had not presented them in court despite being on bail. He expressed frustration, stating that attempts were ongoing to conduct a trial in their absence, resembling a trial of goats rather than a fair legal process.
He emphasized that they had been confined like animals, drawing parallels to the way Nawaz Sharif was transported from one place to another. Qureshi urged the President of the nation, Arif Alvi, to appear in court, take an oath, and disclose whether amendments to the Official Secrets Act had been approved.
During the proceedings, Qureshi remarked that he did not have the financial means to secure prominent lawyers like Javed Ghafoor, and he acknowledged the prominence of Imran Khan’s lawyers in pursuing his case. He argued that their trial under the Trial Official Secrets Act’s Sections 5 and 9 was an attempt to manipulate and wield power, leaving them unable to face trial.
The court responded by informing Qureshi that his objection had been addressed, stating that due to security concerns, the jail administration did not present him in court, and the Trial of Offences (Security) Act did not allow a separate trial for him and Imran Khan.
The judge clarified that the Trial would proceed under Sections 5 and 9 of the Trial Official Secrets Act, emphasizing the court’s commitment to a fair and merit-based legal process.
The Saifur case hearing is scheduled until November 4, with the inclusion of media representatives expected in future proceedings.
