Daily Times

Shah Mahmood Qureshi faced a tumultuous turn of events as he was re-arrested by Punjab Police immediately upon his release from Adiala Jail. The PTI Vice Chairman and former Foreign Minister expressed his dismay, standing on an armored vehicle, emphasizing that his release on bail by the Supreme Court was met with what he deemed as cruelty. He asserted that he felt penalized for his dedication to serving the nation.

The arrest unfolded as the I-Team, led by SHO Sadar Baruni Police, took action against Qureshi. The circumstances leading to his detention were linked to the GHQ gate attack case, prompting an imminent investigation. It was anticipated that Qureshi would be produced in court to secure remand, further prolonging the legal saga. Mehr Bano Qureshi, reacting to her father’s arrest, conveyed a sense of inevitability, stating that Shah Mahmood Qureshi had foreseen the possibility of another arrest. She expressed regret, emphasizing that the court orders were seemingly being disregarded. According to her, her father had been subjected to a rude arrest, highlighting that Shah Mahmood Qureshi had never displayed such behavior towards anyone. The backdrop of this arrest involved a previous order for the detention of Shah Mahmood Qureshi for 15 days, issued by the Deputy Commissioner of Rawalpindi. Notably, the Supreme Court of Pakistan had granted bail to both former Prime Minister Imran Khan and Qureshi in the cipher case.

The court’s written decision clarified that there was no evidence indicating the former PTI chairman had disclosed the cipher for the benefit of another country. The judgment emphasized the absence of an offense under Section 5(3) B of the Official Secrets Act. However, despite the bail approval, Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s recent arrest raised concerns about the potential misuse of legal processes. The Supreme Court underscored that its observations in the judgment would not impact the trial. The trial court retained the authority to revoke bail if the PTI founder were to misuse it. Additionally, the Supreme Court invalidated the order stipulating the completion of the cipher case trial within four weeks, introducing an added layer of complexity to the unfolding legal narrative.