Under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Ordinance, PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi has been detained for 15 days at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail. This provides the government with powers of preventative detention. Qureshi, alongside PTI chief Imran Khan, is already in Adiala jail as part of the cipher case, related to an unreceived diplomatic document.
The case says that the document not returned by Imran contained a threat from America to remove him from office and did not confirm or deny this. Both were granted bail in the case last week and ordered to submit surety bonds for Rs 1 million each. Qureshi’s daughter says that in any other case, his arrest was unnecessary, and his release is expected.
At a recent hearing for the cipher case, Qureshi’s family appeared to post bail. Yet Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner Hassan Waqar Cheema ordered a 15-day detention of Qureshi under the MPO. The MPO allows the government to arrest and detain people for actions prejudicial to public safety or order.
The order was based on a letter written by the Rawalpindi city police officer accusing Qureshi of participating in anti-state activities. The letter: His release might cause a resurgence of such activities, posing a threat to public life and property. This position was agreed to by the Rawalpindi District Intelligence Committee, and Qureshi was held for 45 days.
Qureshi’s right to appeal to the Punjab government against this decision was also stressed in the order. One of Qureshi’s daughters says that the family will continue to insist upon his release on bail in the cipher case through legal channels. Shah Mahmood Qureshi, already implicated in the cipher case, now faces an additional 15-day detention under the MPO. The order points to his involvement in anti-state activities and notes the possible stirring up of disturbances to public safety and good order should he be freed. Qureshi’s legal team and family are exploring various legal remedies and appeals.
