RAWALPINDI, ISLAMABAD  -  The Rawalpindi court on Thursday sent former foreign minister and PTI Vice President Shah Mehmood Qureshi to Adiala Jail on 14-day judicial remand rejecting the police plea of his physical remand for grilling him in the May 9 violence case.

A heavy contingent of Rawalpindi police brought Shah Mehmood Qureshi, the veteran politician, in an armoured personnel vehicle (APV) to the premises of Judicial Complex amid tight security and produced him before Civil Judge/Judicial Magistrate Syed Jahangir Ali.

On the occasion, the entry of media men in the courtroom was banned by the police, however, the court later allowed the media entry on an application filed by Barrister Taimoor Malik, the lawyer of Shah Mehmood Qureshi.

The investigation officer of Police Station RA Bazaar sought 30-day physical remand of Shah Mehmood Qureshi from the court while arguing that the accused is wanted by the police for probe in 12 cases including May 9 violence case registered with different police stations. Therefore, the court is requested to allow the police to investigate the accused at once in all the cases. The IO also informed the court that the police had showed the arrest of Shah Mehmood Qureshi in the record as he was nominated in the cases of attacks on GHQ, Army Mueseum, Metro Bus Station and other sensitive departments. Shah Mehmood Qureshi, meanwhile, pleaded that the police had not only beaten him with kicks and punches but also abused him during custody. “I was suffering with chest pain and the police kept me in a cold room for the whole night,” he said adding that he was not allowed for sleep as the cops time and again switched on lights when he tried to sleep. “I was tortured by police mental and physically,” he alleged. He said that he is ready to take oath on Quran that he was not even present in Punjab on May 9, the day GHQ was attacked.

While bursting into tears in the courtroom, Shah Mehmood Qureshi said he represented Pakistan and its institutions on international forums as Foreign Minister adding that a very responsible government person had shared with him that he (Qureshi) has no role in May 9 violence cases. “I can provide his name on demand of the judge,” he said. After completing the arguments of both the sides, the judge rejected the the police plea of awarding physical remand of Shah Mehmood Qureshi and sent him to Adiala Jail on a 14- day judicial remand.

Meanwhile, PTI has called on the Supreme Court to take suo motu notice of the alleged manhandling of Shah Mahmood Qureshi by the police. 

The former ruling party maintains that Qureshi’s latest arrest was “illegal” as he had been bailed out by the apex court and the orders for his detention under the 3-MPO were also withdrawn soon after being issued.

Speaking to media outside Adiala jail, where PTI founder Imran Khan has been incarcerated, Barrister Gohar Khan condemned Qureshi’s arrest, saying that the ex-foreign minister was “manhandled and tortured”. Talking about any possibility of forming an electoral alliance or supporting any other party, Barrister Gohar said that no decision has been made in this regard.

Meanwhile, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) stayed the trial of ex-premier Imran Khan in the cipher case till January 11. The order was passed by IHC’s Justice Miangul Hasan Aurangzeb on Imran’s petition challenging the cipher trial being conducted at Adiala Jail and subsequent developments, including the framing of charges. 

Earlier in the day, the IHC, while hearing a PTI petition seeking an immediate stay order on the cipher trial, had issued a notice to the federation. At the outset of the proceedings, PTI counsel Salman Usman Gul sought an immediate stay order on the cipher trial. However, the request was rejected as Justice Miangul Hasan Aurangzeb said notices would be first issued to the respondents. 

The court then issued a notice to the federation and sought its response to the PTI petition. It also issued directives for all case documents to be submitted to the IHC. At one point, Justice Aurangzeb inquired if an authorised government officer could directly approach the court and file a complaint. Gul responded in the affirmative but highlighted that a first information report, not a complaint, had been registered in the cipher case. 

“The case is being heard daily. So far, statements of 25 witnesses have been recorded and three were cross-examined,” the lawyer revealed, adding that there were a total of 28 witnesses in the case. Gul also requested that the IHC direct the special court to conduct the trial after five to six days. “The special court can complete the trial during this time,” he warned. However, Justice Aurangzeb said the court was first issuing notices and adjourned the hearing.