On Wednesday (27th December), Former Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who had vowed to destroy Somnath temple in India, was rearrested by the Pakistan Police hours after he was released from Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail in a cipher case. He was recently granted bail by the Pakistan Supreme Court in the given case.
Qureshi, the Vice Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), was arrested on 9th May in a GHQ protest case. The PTI released several videos across social media and claimed that the leader was manhandled and mistreated by the Pakistan Police. “Former Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi being mistreated by police officers as he was stating his rights. This is absolutely shameful, disgusting conduct by those who get paid by us!” the party said on X.
Former Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi being mistreated by police officers as he was stating his rights. This is absolutely shameful, disgusting conduct by those who get paid by us! pic.twitter.com/ZVNtnqN0jS
— PTI (@PTIofficial) December 27, 2023
“I was released on bail by the Supreme Court, this is injustice, I am being punished for serving the nation,” Qureshi said while standing in an armored car. The videos, which were shared on the social media platform, showed Qureshi being pulled into the police van, with spectators asking the officers to be “careful” with the former minister.
“Police have re-arrested Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi on bail release from Adyala Jail following the Supreme Court’s verdict last week. Earlier, the Deputy Commissioner of Rawalpindi had withdrawn the observation order issued under MPO. This treatment of a person with unparalleled service to Pakistan who are internationally respected senior politician is a sign of the arrogance of authority. The law has been made a joke and the fundamental constitutional rights of citizens have been openly violated. Pakistani people will never forget this oppression and injustice,” the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf wrote on Instagram.
On 22nd December, the Pakistan Supreme Court awarded bail to Qureshi and former Prime Minister Imran Khan in the cipher case. Given their involvement in other cases, their immediate release from jail was not possible.
As the 67-year-old Qureshi was being discharged on Wednesday, a large contingent of police detained him again in the GHQ protest case and reportedly shifted him to an unknown location. According to the report, a case has been opened against Qureshi at the RA Bazar Police Station for attacking the GHQ during the 9th May riots.
Qureshi was arrested a day after Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner (DC) Hassan Waqar Cheema delivered an order under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) for his 15-day imprisonment. This law allows the government to arrest someone if there is a risk of public disorder.
Cheema stated in his order that the Rawalpindi city police officer (CPO) informed him that Qureshi was a member of a political party, engaged in anti-state activities, and triggered damage to public and private property during the 9th May protest.
According to the Rawalpindi DC, Qureshi’s imprisonment is “necessary and expedient in (the) public interest” to prevent him from acting in any way that is detrimental to public safety or the maintenance of public order.
Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s detention order was issued shortly before Special Court Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain issued his release orders from the Adiala Jail in the cipher case.
The March 2022 case involves Imran Khan waving a piece of paper at a public gathering and later naming the United States, claiming that the cipher was proof of an “international conspiracy” to destabilize his government. He made the allegations ahead of a vote of confidence, which he ultimately lost.
Qureshi was Khan’s Foreign Minister at the time, and he was indicted in the cipher case in October last year.
It is important to note that Qureshi in the year 2020 had vowed to destroy the Somnath Temple in India’s Gujarat. The vow of the video had gone viral over the social media platform.
In the video, Qureshi could be heard saying how Shah Mehmood, like Mahmud Ghaznavi, has come out to destroy the Somnath temple. The crowd could be heard cheering for his vow in the background.
'Tolerant' Qureshi back in the day comparing himself to Mahmud of Ghaznavi out to demolish Somnath mandir. pic.twitter.com/TgTQLsrdcN
— Naila Inayat (@nailainayat) October 2, 2020
This video appears to be at least a decade old. The exact time of this speech of Qureshi cannot be verified.
