Pakistan: PTI leader detained after securing bail in cipher case

Days after winning a highly sought-after bail in the cypher case, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, the vice chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and an advisor to former Prime Minister Imran Khan, was arrested on Tuesday for a period of 15 days under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Ordinance at Rawalpindi’s Adiala prison. The Pakistani government is authorised to use preventative detention under Section 3 of the MPO.

In the cypher case, Qureshi and Imran are detained in Adiala Prison. The issue concerns the former prime minister displaying a document that purports to show US complicity in his removal from office in 2022. On Friday, December 22, they were granted bail after their pleas were approved by the Supreme Court, which also ordered them to provide surety bonds of one million rupees each.

According to Dawn, Qureshi’s daughter had stated that she anticipated her father will be freed because no other case necessitated his imprisonment. But before his family could get a parole order, Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner (DC) Hassan Waqar Cheema ordered the ex-foreign minister to be detained for 15 days. Following today’s hearing on the case, it was postponed until tomorrow.

According to the decision, Qureshi was implicated in “anti-state activities” and caused damage to both public and private property, as shown by a letter from the Rawalpindi City Police Officer (CPO). Additionally, it mentioned that following his release, “he will again continue his above activities and which may lead to law enforcement action.”

In order to stop Qureshi from engaging in “unlawful activities and acting in a manner prejudicial to the public safety or the maintenance of public order,” the ruling further said that the CPO suggested that he be held for 45 days. Qureshi’s imprisonment was approved by the Rawalpindi District Intelligence Committee and DC Cheema, despite the fact that it was only stated for 15.

This comes after it was “likely” that the PTI second-in-command would be released today after receiving bail in the cypher case. The party was hoping for a significant boost ahead of the polls on February 8, and his arrest is anticipated to cause a serious blow to the party. Meher Bano Qureshi, his daughter, stated that her father had the legal right to be released on bail.

Due to their suspected involvement in the violent May 9 riots, in which Imran’s followers battled with the police and vandalised military posts around the nation following his imprisonment, Qureshi is one of numerous PTI leaders against whom such detention warrants have been issued.

(With agency inputs)