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Punjab police brought PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who was manhandled and re-arrested outside the Adiala Jail a day earlier, to the Rawalpindi Judicial Complex amid tight security on Thursday.
A video shared by the PTI on social media showed the former foreign minister being brought to the court in an armoured police van. Policemen could be seen dragging a hand-cuffed Qureshi.
The PTI leader was released from Adiala Jail on Wednesday after the Supreme Court had approved his post-arrest bail in the cipher case. However, Qureshi, who tried to talk to the Punjab police on multiple occasions, was pushed and whisked away from the prison.
It was later found out that the PTI leader was arrested in connection with a case pertaining to the attack on the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi on May 9. He was initially moved to the Cantt police station by the police, who maltreated him.
Today, the PTI leader was presented in the court of Duty Magistrate Syed Jahangir Ali.
Speaking to media persons ahead of the hearing, the PTI leader’s daughter Meher Bano Qureshi expressed displeasure at the security arrangement made outside the court. “It seems as if they are presenting a terrorist,” she said.
“No one is allowed to enter the Judicial Complex,” Meher Bano pointed out, adding that the police’s behaviour was disappointing.
Talking about yesterday’s arrest, she said the scenes had created a “joke out of Pakistan in a neighbouring country”. “Even the neighbouring country would be wondering how a former foreign minister is being treated,” Meher Bano added.
Qureshi’s daughter seeks level playing field
In a two-page letter to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday, Meher Bano asked the chief election commissioner to ensure level playing for her father and prevent his political victimisation at the hands of the police.
The letter said that Qureshi was the PTI vice chairman who was “unlawfully detained at Adiala Jail and subsequently abducted by the police during the last 24 hours and he has not been produced before any court so far”.
“All of this is happening during the period of the published election schedule and is tantamount to denying the largest political party of the country, to quote the Supreme Court of Pakistan’s above-mentioned order, a ‘level playing field’,” she added.
She said that it was expected that the ECP would fulfil its constitutional responsibilities and ensure the safety and release of Qureshi. Mehar Bano said that it was unfortunate that despite the clear orders of the Supreme Court granting bail to Qureshi on December 22, his release did not materialise till December 27.
Before his release and in blatant contempt of the Lahore High Court’s judgement an MPO order was issued for his detention on Tuesday (and then subsequently withdrawn). He was then taken away by Punjab Police on Wednesday on an unknown charge in some unknown FIR, the letter claimed.
She also expressed disappointment that despite widespread news coverage of Qureshi’s ordeal on Wednesday, the Election Commission of Pakistan did not take any action against the district and police administration of the Rawalpindi Division.
“Respected chief election commissioner, this silence is in breach of your responsibilities to ensure free and fair elections in Pakistan and contempt of the Supreme Court of Pakistan’s order in Constitutional Petition No. 47/2023,” the letter concluded.
More to follow
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