High drama as Qureshi rearrested after release

Lahore, December 27

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Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party’s vice chairman and a close aide of former PM Imran Khan, was on Wednesday manhandled by policemen as they re-arrested him outside a jail in Rawalpindi, a step termed “illegal” by him and his party. The PTI released a video on X where Qureshi, who was granted bail in the cipher case by the Supreme Court last week, is seen being pushed and shoved by policemen after he was picked up right at the gate of the high-security Adiala jail in Rawalpindi and packed off into an armoured police vehicle. The footage of the incident also aired on multiple television and social media channels showed the 67-year-old former foreign minister, clad in a cardigan and a shalwar kameez, loudly protesting the “illegality” of the police action.

Qureshi was released from jail on bail after the Rawalpindi DC withdrew an order for detaining the ex-former foreign minister for 15 days under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) and added that the police had not yet provided an official comment on the incident.

“An official wearing the Punjab police uniform refused to listen and proceeded to shove Qureshi out the gate and toward an armoured police vehicle,” Dawn.com reported from the video footage.

On Friday, the top court granted bail to Khan and Qureshi in the cipher case and demanded that he submit surety bonds worth Rs 1 million each. Qureshi’s family on Tuesday had arrived at Adiala jail to pay his surety bond but before they could obtain the robkar (release order), Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner Hassan Waqar Cheema issued the order for the former foreign minister’s 15-day detention under MPO. — PTI

Got bail from apex court last week

• Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s vice chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi got bail in the cipher case from the Supreme Court last week.
• Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner has issued order for Qureshi’s 15-day detention under the Maintenance of Public Order.