Was ‘physically and mentally tortured’ in prison last night, Qureshi tells Rawalpindi court
PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who was manhandled and re-arrested outside the Adiala Jail a day earlier, told a Rawalpindi court on Thursday that he was “physically and mentally tortured” in prison last night.
The PTI leader said this while recording his statement during a hearing at the Rawalpindi Judicial Complex.
Qureshi was released from Adiala Jail on Wednesday after the Supreme Court had approved his post-arrest bail in the cipher case. However, the PTI leader, 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 former foreign minister 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, Qureshi was brought to the court of Duty Magistrate Syed Jahangir Ali in an armoured police van. A video shared by the PTI on social media showed policemen escorting a hand-cuffed Qureshi.
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.
The hearing
As the hearing commenced, Qureshi said he wanted to record his statement before the court. He highlighted that three judges of the apex court had approved his bail against surety bonds.
However, the PTI leader highlighted that before he could obtain the robkar (release order), it emerged that orders had been issued to detain Qureshi under the Maintenance of Public Order.
“How am I a threat to the public? I have been in jail for several months,” Qureshi said. He added that he had been told in Adiala Jail that the MPO orders against him would be withdrawn but the date was later extended to Dec 27 instead of Dec 26.
Qureshi said he had been detained from inside Adiala Jail illegally, highlighting that he had been a member of the Parliament five times. The PTI leader further stated that police officials had kicked and ridiculed him, claiming that he wasn’t taken to a doctor despite multiple requests.
“A team came to me saying that they wanted to record a statement on the May 9 violence. These people want to nominate me in cases related to May 9,” he said. “I was in Karachi on May 9 … my wife was undergoing surgery (that day).”
The PTI vice chairman also alleged that he was kept in a cold cell last night and wasn’t allowed to sleep. “I was tortured mentally and physically,” he claimed.
Meanwhile, the prosecutor sought a three-day physical remand of Qureshi. He argued that remand in terrorism cases could be taken for even 90 days, adding that he had reports from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority.
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