Islamabad: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Thursday declared the arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) law “illegal” and ordered police to release him.
The orders were given by Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb of the IHC when he was deliberating over a case that contested the arrest of Shah Mahmood Qureshi.
The court instructed the PTI leader to produce an undertaking identical to the one provided by former state minister Ali Muhammad Khan when it issued the release orders.
The PTI leader will be consulted before the undertaking was submitted, Qureshi’s attorneys informed the court.
Following the onset of violent protests by PTI members following the detention of former prime minister Imran Khan, Qureshi was one of the top PTI leaders detained from Islamabad within 24 hours as the government tightened the noose around the party.
He was taken into custody in the early hours of May 11 after the police raided Gilgit-Baltistan House in Islamabad under Section 3 (3MPO).
The former foreign minister was arrested by the police in cases of riots and arsons in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, police said back then.
However, before his arrest, the PTI leader encouraged party workers to continue their struggle for “true freedom” in the country.
“As a foreign minister of Pakistan, I defended Pakistan’s interests at every forum. I have been in practical politics for 40 years,” he said.
Qureshi added that he has no regrets and has not made any provocative statements that could lead to lawsuits. He was confident that the PTI’s movement will reach its destination.
He was arrested in the wee hours of May 11 after police in Islamabad conducted a Section 3 (3MPO) operation on Gilgit-Baltistan House.
According to authorities at the time, the former foreign minister was detained in connection with rioting and arson charges in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
“As a foreign minister of Pakistan, I defended Pakistan’s interests at every forum. I have been in practical politics for 40 years,” he said.
Qureshi added that he has no regrets and has not made any provocative statements that could lead to lawsuits. He was confident that the PTI’s movement will reach its destination.
