Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) vice chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi was arrested again on Wednesday just as he was released from the Adiala jail after securing bail from the Supreme Court (SC) in the cypher case four days ago.

The apex court had, on December 22, granted bail to Qureshi and former prime minister Imran Khan. However, their immediate release from jail was hindered by their involvement in other ongoing cases.

Today, the former foreign minister was arrested by Rawalpindi Police in the GHQ attack case. A heavy contingent of police took the PTI leader in custody from outside the Adiala Jail, and reportedly shifted him to an unknown location.

As per police sources, a case against Qureshi, for attacking the GHQ during the May 9 riots, was registered at the RA Bazar police station. The PTI leader will be produced before an anti-terrorism court either today or tomorrow for remand.

The arrest came after Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner Hasan Waqar Cheema revoked Qureshi’s detention orders, issued a day earlier, on the police’s request. A notification confirming this withdrawal was issued.

Upon release from jail after the initial detention orders expired, Qureshi was promptly re-arrested.

A day earlier, Rawalpindi Police had initially detained Qureshi under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO). Following due process, of being presented before an anti-terrorism court (ATC) Qureshi is expected to return to Adiala jail.

Expressing frustration, Qureshi, while addressing the public and media from an armored vehicle, said, “I was released on bail by the Supreme Court. This is cruelty; I am being penalized for serving the nation.”

Responding to the former minister’s arrest, PTI chairman Barrister Gohar urged the apex court’s intervention, emphasising Qureshi’s importance to the party.

Stressing fair elections, Barrister Gohar stated that, “Given the Supreme Court’s grant of bail, no further arrests should occur.” Highlighting Qureshi’s history of arrests, he questioned the justification for Section 3 MPO, stressing its infringement on rights.

He urged the judiciary to safeguard peoples’ rights and security.

Detention under 3MPO

Notably, the deputy commissioner had issued a detention order for Qureshi the previous day, placing him in Adiala Jail. The events raise concerns about Qureshi’s legal status and broader implications for justice and politics in the region.

Read Cypher case a security breach: Bilawal

Despite being provided relief by the superior courts, the PTI leader was detained at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail for 15 days under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Ordinance.

Qureshi’s daughter expected her father to be set free on Tuesday as she said he was not wanted in any other case. However, just as the family reached the jail to pay the surety bond, and before they could acquire his release order, they found out that he had been detained for 15 days.

Qureshi’s fresh detention order was issued by Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner Hassan Waqar Cheema.

It read that the PTI leader’s release might pose a threat to peace and security as he was involved in the attack on the gate of the GHQ during the May 9 riots earlier this year.

It mentioned that the city’s police chief in a letter had proposed a 45-day detention period on the recommendation of the relevant SHO.

In his letter, the Rawalpindi police chief wrote that Qureshi was a member of a political party, which was involved in anti-state activities and caused damage to public and private property.

The letter added that it was probable that Qureshi would engage in the same activities again and cause a law and order situation, and harm life and property of the general public.

It continued that the district intelligence committee had also concurred with the assessments of the police and security authorities.

The Rawalpindi deputy commissioner wrote in the order that he was satisfied that Qureshi’s detention was necessary and “expedient in public interest” to prevent him from acting in any manner prejudicial to the public safety or the maintenance of public order.

While granting Qureshi the right to appeal, the order detained Qureshi at Adiala jail for 15 days.

Special Court Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain, who is hearing the cypher case, later issued the release order but by then it was too late for the PTI leader.

The cypher case pertains to a piece of paper that Imran had waved at a public rally on March 27, 2022, ahead of a vote of confidence that he lost. The former prime minister, later naming the US, had claimed that the diplomatic cipher was “evidence” of an “international conspiracy” to topple his government.

Qureshi was serving as the foreign minister at that time and was indicted in the case on October 23.