Islamabad [Pakistan], May 27 : The police on Sunday implicated incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Vice-Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi in eight more cases in connection with the May 9 protests, Pakistan-based Geo News reported.
Currently, Qureshi is imprisoned in Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail in multiple cases. Furthermore, a special court established under the Official Secrets Act earlier handed Qureshi 10 years in prison in the cipher case.
Protests erupted on May 9 after Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan's arrest in the £190 million settlement case. Hundreds of PTI workers and senior leaders were taken into custody over their involvement in violence and attacks on military installations in 2023.
During the protests on May 9, the miscreants attacked the civil and military installations, including Jinnah House and the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi. Pakistan's army called May 9 "Black Day" and decided to try the protesters under the Army Act.
On Sunday, a special team of police approached the anti-terrorism court in Lahore to seek permission to arrest, question and summon the PTI leader in an FIR registered with Police Station Sarwar Road. However, the court did not give the permission considering the "security concerns," Geo News reported.
Meanwhile, the court permitted the investigation officer to visit Adalia Jail to question the accused within a period of three days instead. The court order reads, "The accused shall be deemed to be on physical remand for that purpose."
The court ordered police to present the suspect before it through a video link on May 27. The court also directed the superintendent of the jail to make necessary arrangements in this regard. Later, the police recorded Qureshi's statement in the case in Rawalpindi prison.
Reacting to the implication of Qureshi in more cases, a PTI spokesperson said that the court had already granted bail to Shah Mahmood Qureshi in these cases. PTI stated, "Law was flouted again to keep Qureshi behind bars by making the court's order ineffective practically," Geo News reported.
PTI spokesperson said that Qureshi was being punished for sticking with the ideology of PTI founder Imran Khan. He further said that lawlessness was reaching new heights in Pakistan. He further said that every possible action will be taken against the cruel act.
Earlier in January, a Pakistan court sentenced Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi to jail for 10 years each in a case involving the leaking of state secrets, local media reported.
A special court established under the Official Secrets Act sentenced Pakistan Tehreeke-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Khan and former Pakistan's foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi handed out the 10-year jail sentence in the cypher case, Dawn reported. The verdict was announced by special court Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain during the hearing held at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi.
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