Shireen arrested for fourth time

Qureshi’s lawyer says authorities not allowing anyone to meet his client

RAWALPINDI/ISLAMABAD:

 

Former federal minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Dr Shireen Mazari was arrested again as soon as she was released from the Adiala Jail on the orders of the Lahore High Court Rawalpindi bench on Monday.

Shireen’s lawyer said in a tweet that she has been arrested by the Punjab police for the fourth time in 10 days. “It is not known where she has been taken.”
The lawyer said that this is the second time in a row that Dr. Shireen has been arrested again after being released from Adiala Jail on the court order.

Earlier, the LHC Rawalpindi bench issued an order for the Shireen’s release.
Justice Chaudhry Abdul Aziz heard the petition filed against the detention of Shireen.

Shireen’s counsels Barrister Shoaib Razak and Aneeq Khatana along with their client’s daughter, Imaan Mazari, appeared in the court.
The court ordered that if Shireen was not named in any case, she should not be arrested again and submit an affidavit to the deputy commissioner that she will not be involved in any such activity in the future.

Speaking to the media, Imaan said that her mother was arrested thrice in a week, but today, “the court annulled the second MPO order against my mother”.
She urged the government to think about not ruining houses like this.

Qureshi’s detention

Former foreign minister and PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi's lawyer told reporters that the authorities were not allowing his client to meet anyone in jail.

The lawyer, Taimur Malik, said: "Not even his daughter is being allowed to see him [Qureshi]. Nothing can be said about the undertaking unless a meeting is held [with the PTI leader]."

He said the legal team would once again try to visit him in jail.
"We can only submit an undertaking after taking directions from him," Malik added.

Notably, the PTI leader remains in police custody five days after the Islamabad High Court (IHC) termed his arrest illegal and issued orders for his release.
Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb had heard the PTI leader's plea against his arrest under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order Act (3MPO) last week.
The court declared the arrest null and void and instructed the concerned authorities to ensure his release after he signs an undertaking.

Despite relief from the courts, however, there appears to be no respite in the crackdown on PTI leaders.
Their arrests followed violent protests that erupted following PTI chief Imran Khan's arrest, where sensitive state and military institutions were targeted.