Section 3 of the MPO Ordinance required PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi to serve 15 days in Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail. The period started on Tuesday.
The government can use preventative detention under this provision.
Qureshi and PTI chairman Imran Khan are in Adiala jail for the cypher case. The Federal Investigation Agency charges Imran with never returning a diplomatic paper. The news threatened Imran’s US prime ministership, according to PTI.
The former foreign minister and premier were granted bail on Monday after posting one million rupee surety bonds. Qureshi’s daughter believed her father would be released because there was no other reason for his imprisonment.
It was postponed until tomorrow after the court hearing today.
Rawalpindi DC Hassan Waqar Cheema imprisoned Shah Mahmood Qureshi for 15 days under the MPO after his family paid bail. Family release order (pre-robkar).
Special Court Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain issued Robkar in the cypher case.
MPO Section 3 allows government arrests. “The government may, by an order in writing, direct the arrest and detention in such custody if it is satisfied that doing so is necessary to prevent any person from acting in any manner prejudicial to public safety or the maintenance of public order… and [the] government may, if satisfied that for the aforesaid reasons, it is necessary so to do, may extend the period of such detention, for a period not exceeding six months at a time, from time to time.”
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The Rawalpindi CPO wrote to Qureshi that his political party committed anti-state offences and harmed public and private property.
“It is likely that upon his release from jail, he will resume his above activities, which may lead to law and order situations that are harmful to the life and property of the general public,” said the notice.
The Rawalpindi CPO recommends 45 days in prison for Shah Mahmood Qureshi for “unlawful activities and acting in a manner prejudicial to the public safety or the maintenance of public order.”
The letter said the Rawalpindi District Intelligence Committee endorsed Qureshi’s detention, supporting the police department.
DC Cheema believed Qureshi’s “detention is necessary and expedient in the public interest” to prevent him from endangering public safety or order.
Qureshi could now appeal to Punjab after the ruling.
His daughter, Meher Bano Qureshi, said the family will continue the legal process that freed her father in the Cypher case.
Qureshi’s attorney, Barrister Taimur Malik, promised to litigate.
His MPO order was not “worth the paper it is written on.”
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