Vice Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Shah Mahmood Qureshi was detained for 15 days under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Ordinance.
His detention order came after he along with Imran Khan was granted bail in the cipher case last week, with the condition to submit surety bonds worth Rs1 million each.
The cipher case involves a document that the Federal Investigation Agency claims was never returned by Imran Khan.
The PTI contends that the document contains a threat from the United States to remove Imran as prime minister.
Despite the bail, Qureshi’s family arrived at Adiala jail to pay the surety bond, only to find out that Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner Hassan Waqar Cheema issued a 15-day detention order under the MPO.
Section 3 of the MPO grants the government powers for preventative detention, allowing it to arrest and detain individuals suspected of acting against public safety or order.
The order, issued by Special Court Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain, cites a letter from the Rawalpindi city police officer, claiming Qureshi’s affiliation with a political party involved in anti-state activities and causing damage to public and private property.
The letter suggests that Qureshi’s release could lead to a potential law and order situation harmful to the public.
The Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner justified the detention by stating it is in the public interest to prevent Qureshi from engaging in activities prejudicial to public safety or order.
The order allows Qureshi to appeal to the Punjab government against this decision.
