Mahmood Qureshi Shah, former Finance Minister of Pakistan was dragged and manhandled by the local Police Authorities. The visual of the mistreatment has taken the internet by a swirl. No sooner did he receive a sigh of relief from another case than the Police and Justice authorities detained him again. His stubbornness led to the pushing and dragging.
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.
Why has Mahmood Qureshi been re-arrested?
His detention came even as the country’s Supreme Court granted him bail in the state secrets case last week. He was due to be released Tuesday (Dec 26) but Rawalpindi authorities issued an order for his 15-day detention just before the release order.
Before being taken away, Mahmood Qureshi shouted, “They are making fun of Supreme Court’s order and arresting me in another false case.” Qureshi has been implicated under the so-called Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) law. MPO grants the Pakistani government powers for preventative detention.
Why was Mahmood Qureshi detained?
Rawalpindi City Police Officer (CPO) had intimated via a letter that Qureshi was part of the political party responsible for its involvement in “anti-state activities” and causing damage to public and private property.
He was detained due to his alleged role in civil unrest that erupted on May 9 after the arrest of ex-PM Imran Khan.
The order further said that the CPO recommended that Qureshi be detained for 45 days to prevent him from his “unlawful activities and acting in a manner prejudicial to the public safety or the maintenance of public order”.
The development came as a big blow to Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. Qureshi’s release could have significantly boosted PTI’s election campaign.
The Imran Khan and Mahmood Qureshi connection
Both Imran Khan and Mahmood Qureshi are currently locked up in Adiala jail, with the ex-PM always facing detentions in one case or another.
The cipher case revolves around Imran Khan revealing an alleged diplomatic exchange between Washington DC and Islamabad that served as evidence of the US playing a major role in the collapse of his government.
The former Pakistan government, headed by Shehbaz Sharif, concluded that the revelation of the cipher amounted to the disclosure of state secrets.
What is the Khan-Qureshi intertwined Cipher Case?
Current Political scenario in Pakistan
The things have worsened for the people of Pakistan. One after another their leaders are being arrested for crimes which the public never knew. The prospects of a strong leader looks more than bleak. Amid all of this Nawaz Sharif’s re-entry in Pakistan politics gives reassurance to Pakistanis considering his experience in office.
After Imran Khan, Mahmood Qureshi is the 2nd important leader arrested; an average Pakistanis can’t help but ponder is this a never-ending domino or this does come to an end?
