Qureshi’s daughter seeks details of his cases

Meher Bano Qureshi requests court to direct authorities to give protection of law to PTI leader

LAHORE:

The daughter of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi has approached the Lahore High Court (LHC), seeking details of all undisclosed or new first information reports (FIR) registered against her father after the May 9 incidents.

In her petition filed on Saturday, Meher Bano Qureshi has nominated the Punjab chief secretary and inspector general police (IGP) as well as her father as respondents.

She has also requested the court to direct the concerned quarters to give protection of law to Qureshi and not to arrest him in any new criminal case without prior permission of the court.

Meher said she has learned that a number of undisclosed criminal cases have been registered against her father and there is an apprehension that her father may again unjustifiably be arrested in the mentioned undisclosed new criminal cases.

She contended that hundreds of politically motivated and unlawful FIRs have been registered against her father and other PTI leaders and workers, adding that thousands of PTI workers have been picked up and are being “illegally” detained.

Read PTI leadership continues to evade arrests

The petitioner said the whereabouts of many workers are unknown, stating that all of these developments amount to grave violations of rights under different articles of the Constitution.

“The petitioner seeks the protection of this court from the most audacious assault on fundamental rights launched by any executive of this country in furtherance of the most constitutionally abhorrent objective; to prevent or delay elections required by the Constitution in order to ensure that the largest political party in Pakistan may be prevented from the participating or winning such elections,”   she said.

The federal government launched a massive crackdown against the PTI after its alleged workers and leaders vandalized state properties and army installations on May 9 in the wake of PTI Chairman Imran Khan's arrest. This crackdown was followed by mass exodus from the party. However, Qureshi is among the few leaders who have stood their ground and refused to leave the PTI.

On May 23, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) ordered the release of Qureshi after he submitted an undertaking to the court. However, hours later he was re-arrested by the Punjab Police from outside the Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi.