Pakistani Court orders immediate release of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi
The Hindu
A Pakistani court on June 6 ordered the immediate release of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi, who was arrested following the May 9 violent protests
A Pakistani court on June 6 ordered the immediate release of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi, who was arrested following the May 9 violent protests.
Mr. Qureshi, 66, served as Pakistan's Foreign Affairs Minister from 2018 to 2022 under Imran Khan's regime. He was among the top PTI leaders arrested after violent protests following Khan's arrest on May 9. He has been arrested multiple times since his first arrest.
While hearing a petition against his arrest, the Lahore High Court’s Rawalpindi Bench on June 6 ordered that Mr. Qureshi should not be arrested under the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance (MPO) anymore, Geo TV reported.
Justice Chaudhry Abdul Aziz, who presided over the hearing, also declared Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner's MPO orders illegal and directed authorities to immediately release Mr. Qureshi without asking him to submit surety bonds.
During the hearing, the court inquired from the law officer if Mr. Qureshi had given any speech or led any protest.
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“No political leader can control his words in a political gathering,” the court said while directing the law officer to present evidence against the former Foreign Minister if any.