Shah Mahmood Qureshi taken into custody by Rawalpindi police from Adiala jail in connection with a case related to May 9 violent protests

RAWALPINDI, Dec 27 (SABAH): Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Vice Chairman Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Wednesday was taken into custody by Rawalpindi police from Adiala jail in connection with a case related to May 9 violent protests. 

A day earlier, Qureshi was detained under the maintenance of public order (3-MPO) after his bail was approved in the cipher case last week.

Speaking to the media outside the prison, Qureshi said he was being arrested in a bogus case. “I am innocent and being politically victimised,” he added. “Oppression, injustice. This is a mockery of the Supreme Court’s order. I am being subjected to political victimisation without any reason,” he added

“I have represented the nation. I am innocent. I am being subjected to political revenge for no reason,” he added. Acting Chief Justice Sardar Tariq Masood, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Athar Minallah granted him bail after hearing arguments, he said.

He warned that he would move the Supreme Court against any “unlawful action” against him.

Regarding his bail, Qureshi said that the judge signed my release order (robkar). Then the deputy commissioner issued orders for my arrest under MPO 3 and police detained me. “I accepted his order and went back to my cell [in jail],” he stated.

Later, his daughter Meharbano, who was outside the jail to receive her father, quoted him as saying that he knew he would be arrested again. She lamented that police officials mistreated her father while arresting him.

She said that her father told him that people were inspired by hearing his and PTI founder’s voice and seeing their faces. “People know that injustice is being done in Pakistan at present,” she added.

Meanwhile, in a post on X the PTI strongly condemned the manner in which Qureshi was arrested. “The disgraceful arrest of Shah Mahmood Qureshi after the Supreme Court granted him bail is a slap on the face of the judiciary and justice system,” the party said.

The party said the state was crossing all limits of brutality and cruelty over its failure to break the bond between Imran Khan and the nation.

“After the announcement of the election schedule, there has been an increase in oppression and fascism against the leadership, candidates and workers of PTI,” it said.

It said Qureshi was one of the party’s main candidates in the forthcoming Feb 8 general election, adding that attempts were being made to keep him out of the election race.

It termed the deputy commissioner’s detention order a clear violation of the Supreme Court’s decision regarding a level playing field for all political parties. The party held the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) responsible for the atrocities being carried out against PTI by the “unconstitutional, illegal and undemocratic caretaker governments”.

The PTI urged the chief justice of Pakistan to take notice of abuse of power issued orders for the recovery and release of Qureshi.

In a video shared by the PTI, Barrister Gohar Ali Khan requested the judiciary and Supreme Court to look into the matter. “You granted [Qureshi] bail on the grounds that he is a senior politician who needs to contest the elections,” Khan said.

“And for elections to be free and fair and transparent, it is necessary that all people participate,” he said.

“Shah Mahmood Qureshi has been arrested and rearrested like this multiple times before,” Gohar said, adding that such arrested had an impact on the elections.

Speaking to reporters outside Adiala Jail later in the day, Gohar said, “If the Supreme Court granted bail to Qureshi on the basis that elections need to be free and fair and transparent, then the ECP needs to make sure he is released.”

He said that the party would approach the ECP and also the high court if necessary.

“I also told the ECP that it would have been very good if they personally went out today and surveyed what was happening in various locations,” Gohar said, adding that he would nonetheless submit an application to them.

Qureshi was implicated in cases related to May 9 riots that broke out following the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan in a corruption case from the premises of Islamabad High Court (IHC) earlier this year.