LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore on Sunday allowed the police to interrogate Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Vice-Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail for a period of three days in May 9 violence related cases.
As per details, the police implicated the senior PTI leader in eight more cases in connection with the May 9 mayhem.
Qureshi, the former foreign minister, is currently imprisoned in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail in multiple cases. In addition to this, a special court established under the Official Secrets Act had handed Qureshi 10 years in jail in the cipher case.
The May 9 riots were triggered almost across the country after the deposed prime minister Imran Khan’s arrest in the £190 million settlement case. Hundreds of PTI workers and senior leaders were put behind bars for their involvement in violence and attacks on military installations last year.
During the protests, the miscreants targeted the civil and military installations including — Jinnah House and the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi. The military termed May 9 “Black Day” and decided to try the protesters under the Army Act.
Earlier today, a special team of the police approached the ATC in Lahore seeking permission to arrest, interrogate and summon the PTI leader in an FIR registered with Police Station Sarwar Road.
The court, however, denied the permission in view of the “security concerns”.
Meanwhile, the court allowed the investigation officer to visit Adalia Jail for interrogation of the accused within a period of three days instead.
“The accused shall be deemed to be on physical remand for that purpose,” read the court order.
The court directed police to produce the suspect before it via a video link on Monday (May 27). The superintendent of the jail was also ordered to make necessary arrangements in this regard.
Later, the police reached the Rawalpindi prison and recorded Qureshi’s statement in the case.
‘Lawlessness making new highs’
Reacting to the implication of Qureshi in more cases, a spokesperson of the PTI said that the court had already granted bail to the former ruling party’s vice-chairman in these cases.
“Law was flouted again to keep Qureshi behind bars by making the court’s order ineffective practically.”
The spokesperson said that Qureshi was being punished for firmly sticking with the ideology of the PTI founder. Lawlessness was reaching new highs in the country, he added.
The Khan-founded party, the spokesperson said, would take every possible action against the cruel act.
